TAE  JOY  OF 


CAPTAIN  -RIBOT 


X 


A  PALACIO-VALD 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 


THE  JOY  OF  CAPTAIN  RIBOT 


AUTHORIZED  TRANSLATION  FROM  THE 

ORIGINAL    OF 
_*>« 

A.  PALACIO   VALDES 


BY 

MINNA  CAEOLINE  SMITH 


NEW  YORK 
BKENTANO'S 

1900 


COPYRIGHT,  1900,  BY 
BRENTANOS. 


Introduction 

"We  Americans  are  apt  to  think  because  we 
have  banged  the  Spanish  war-ships  to  pieces  that 
we  are  superior  to  the  Spaniards,  but  here  in  the 
field  where  there  is  always  peace  they  shine  our 
masters.  If  we  have  any  novelists  to  compare  with 
theirs  at  their  best,  I  should  be  puzzled  to  think 
of  them,  and  I  should  like  to  have  some  one  else 
try" — wrote  William  Dean  Howells  in  Litera- 
ture. 

When  a  work  by  one  of  the  world's  masters  of 
fiction  has  called  forth  a  remark  like  the  foregoing 
from  a  leading  man  of  letters  in  America,  it 
would  be  a  misfortune  if  the  public  to  whom  the 
remark  is  addressed  might  not  enjoy  the  privilege 
of  acquaintance  with  that  work.  And  it  was  this 
most  charming  novel  by  Senor  Armando  Palacio 
Valdes,  "  La  Alegria  del  Capitan  Ribot,"  that 
prompted  Mr.  Howells  to  write  those  words.  Any 
reader  must  be  hard  to  please  who  would  not  take 
the  keenest  delight  in  a  story  presented  with  a 
touch  so  delicate.  The  scene  is  laid  in  Valencia, 
one  of  the  earth's  famous  garden  spots,  where  the 
touch  of  the  classic  hand,  laid  upon  the  spot  ages 
ag°>  yet  lingers.  It  is  a  story  dominated  by  the 


Introduction 

purest  joy,  as  its  serene  Mediterranean  landscape 
is  dominated  by  the  purest  sunshine. 

Every  novelist  of  character  must  have  some  pur- 
pose in  mind  in  a  given  work,  and  the  purpose  of 
Senor  Valde"s  in  this  is  of  no  slight  import.  It 
happens  that,  from  an  unclean  quality  that  dis- 
tinguishes the  fiction  of  a  certain  nation,  the  minds 
of  many  lands  have  been  infected.  For  the  almost 
universal  aim  of  its  authors  has  seemed  to  be  so 
pervasively  to  color  their  pictures  of  life  with  one 
particular  kind  of  sin  as  to  give  the  impression  that 
it  is  a  main  factor  of  modern  civilization,  instead 
of  something  that  blots  but  a  small  proportion  of 
the  lives  of  men  and  women  in  any  land.  So, 
when  Senor  Vald6s  wrote  to  me,  several  months 
ago,  about  his  new  novel,  he  said:  "  It  is  a  protest 
from  the  depths  against  the  eternal  adultery  of  the 
French  novel."  And  when  I  read  the  book,  I 
thought  that  "  A  Married  Woman  "  would  have 
been  a  good  name  for  the  story,  so  nobly  and  so 
truly  does  it  present  a  type  of  the  true  and  devoted 
wife  in  Cristina  Marti — one  of  the  great  creations 
in  modern  literature.  The  trait  that  makes  Senor 
Vald&s  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  living  novelists 
is  greatness  of  soul,  finding  expression  as  it  does  in 
a  consummate  mastery  of  his  art.  That  trait  ap- 
pears in  his  "  La  Fe  "  as  in  no  other  novel  that  I 
know;  and  in  the  present  story  it  pervades  the 
whole  work,  which,  moreover,  is  clean,  sweet,  and 

vi 


Introduction 

wholesome  in  every  part.  Magnanimity  is  a  word 
that  somehow  implies  that  greatness  of  soul  derives 
itself  from  greatness  of  heart,  and  the  magnanimity 
of  Senor  Valdes  is  of  a  degree  that  transcends 
limitations  of  race,  of  creed,  and  of  patriotism. 

He  has  given  evidence  that  in  his  catholic  sym- 
pathies the  fact  of  a  common  humanity  is  sufficient 
for  the  inclusion  of  any  man  in  his  brotherly  re- 
gard. Of  such  as  he  the  nations  as  yet  count  too 
few  among  their  sons.  And  when  one  of  these 
speaks,  no  difference  of  tongue  should  be  allowed 
to  bar  our  listening. 

In  the  same  article  that  has  furnished  the  text 
for  these  remarks,  Mr.  Howells  notes,  among  the 
admirable  attributes  in  which  this  noble-minded 
Spaniard  excels,  "  something  very  like  our  own 
boasted  American  humor  with  some  other  things 
which  we  cannot  lay  special  claim  to;  as  a  certain 
sweetness,  a  gentle  spirituality,  a  love  of  purity 
and  goodness  in  themselves,  and  an  insight  into  the 
workings  of  what  used  to  be  called  the  soul."  As 
to  the  specific  qualities  of  the  book  before  us,  I  can- 
not better  express  my  own  sentiments  than  to  con- 
tinue in  the  words  of  Mr.  Howells: 

"  La  Alegria  del  Capitan  Eibot  is,  as  all  the 
stories  of  this  delightful  author  are,  a  novel  of 
manners,  the  modern  manners  of  provincial  Spain; 
and,  by  the  way,  while  we  were  spoiling  our  pros- 
trate foe,  I  wish  we  could  have  got  some  of  these, 


Introduction 

too;  they  would  form  an  agreeable  relief  to  our 
own,  which  they  surpass  so  much  in  picturesque- 
ness,  to  say  the  least.  The  scene  is  mostly  at 
Valencia,  where  Capitan  Ribot,  who  commands  a 
steamer  plying  between  Barcelona  and  Hamburg, 
is  the  guest  of  the  civil  engineer,  Marti.  The 
novel  is,  as  far  as  Ribot  and  his  two  friends  are 
concerned,  a  tender  idyll,  but  on  the  other  side  it 
is  an  exquisite  comedy,  with  some  fine  tragic  im- 
plications. Around  all  is  thrown  the  atmosphere 
of  a  civilization  so  different  from  our  own,  and  of 
a  humanity  so  like  the  Anglo-Saxon,  as  well  as  the 
Russian  and  the  Scandinavian,  even,  that  we  find 
ourselves  charmed  at  once  by  its  strangeness  and 
its  familiarity.  There  are  the  same  temptations, 
the  same  aspirations,  the  same  strong  desires,  the 
same  trembling  resolutions,  masking  under  south- 
ern skies  and  in  alien  air;  but  instantly  recog- 
nizable by  their  truth  to  what  all  men  feel  and 
know." 

Mr.  Howells  has  expressed  a  desire  to  have  Senor 
Valdes  for  our  own.  So  far  as  a  most  intelligently 
sympathetic  presentation  of  this  beautiful  story  in 
English  can  do  so,  I  am  sure  that  my  friend  the 
translator  has  made  him  so. 

SYLVESTER   BAXTER. 


viii 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 


CHAPTER   I. 

IN  Malaga  they  cook  it  not  at  all  badly;  in  Vigo 
better  yet;  in  Bilbao  I  have  eaten  it  deliciously 
seasoned  on  more  than  one  occasion.  But  there  is 
no  comparison  between  any  of  these,  or  the  way  I 
have  had  it  served  in  any  of  the  other  ports  where  I 
have  been  wont  to  touch,  and  the  cooking  of  a 
Senora  Ramona  in  a  certain  shop  for  wines  and 
edibles  called  El  Cometa,  situated  on  the  wharf  at 
Gijon. 

Therefore,  when  that  most  intelligent  woman 
hears  that  the  Urano  has  entered  port,  she  be- 
gins to  get  her  stewpans  ready  for  my  reception.  I 
prefer  to  go  alone  and  at  night,  like  the  selfish  and 
luxurious  being  that  I  am.  She  sets  my  table  for 
me  in  a  corner  of  the  back  shop;  and  there,  at  my 
ease,  I  enjoy  pleasures  ineffable  and  have  taken 
more  than  one  indigestion. 

I  arrived  the  9th  of  February,  at  eleven  in  the 
morning,  and  according  to  my  custom  I  ate  little, 
1 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

preparing  myself  by  healthful  abstinence  for  the 
ceremony  of  the  evening.  God  willed  otherwise. 
A  little  before  the  striking  of  the  hour  a  heathen 
of  a  sailor  broke  a  lantern;  the  burning  wick  fell 
upon  a  cask  of  petroleum  and  started  a  fire,  which 
we  got  the  better  of  by  throwing  the  barrel  over- 
board with  several  others.  But  the  pilot-house 
was  burned,  together  with  much  of  the  rigging  and 
some  of  the  upper  works  of  the  steamer.  In  short, 
the  consequences  kept  us  busy  and  on  our  feet 
nearly  all  night. 

And  this  was  the  reason  why  I  did  not  go  to  eat 
my  dish  of  tripe  at  the  Senora  Ramona's,  but  noti- 
fied her,  by  means  of  the  speaking  trumpet,  to  be 
ready  for  me  that  evening  without  fail. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock.  Peaceful  and  con- 
tented, I  descended  the  ladder  of  the  Urano, 
jumped  into  a  boat,  and  in  four  strokes  of  my  boat- 
man's oars  I  was  taken  to  the  wharf,  which  stood 
deserted  and  shadowy.  The  hulls  of  the  vessels 
could  hardly  be  made  out  and  absolute  silence 
reigned  on  board  them.  Only  the  silhouette  of 
the  guards  on  their  rounds  or  that  of  some  mel- 
ancholy-looking passer-by  was  vaguely  outlined  in 
the  gloom.  But  the  obscurity,  that  the  few  street- 
lamps  were  insufficient  to  dissipate,  was  soon  en- 
livened by  the  wave  of  light  that  proceeded  from 
the  two  open  doorways  of  El  Cometa.  I  fluttered 
away  in  that  direction  like  an  eager  butterfly. 
2 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

There  were  only  three  or  four  customers  left  in 
the  shop;  the  others  had  departed — some  spon- 
taneously, some  because  of  intimations,  each  time 
more  or  less  peremptory,  given  by  Senora  Eamona, 
who  always  closed  up  promptly  at  half  after  ten. 

This  woman  greeted  my  appearance  with  a  peal 
of  laughter.  I  cannot  say  what  curious  and  mys- 
terious titillation  affected  her  nerves  in  my  pres- 
ence; but  I  can  affirm  that  she  never  saw  me  after 
an  absence  more  or  less  prolonged  without  being 
violently  shaken  by  merriment,  which  in  turn  in- 
evitably resulted  in  severe  attacks  of  coughing, 
inflaming  her  cheeks  and  transforming  them  from 
their  hue  of  grainy  red  to  violet.  Yet  I  was  pro- 
foundly gratified  by  that  peal  of  laughter  and  that 
attack  of  coughing,  considering  them  a  pledge  of 
unalterable  friendship,  and  that  I  could  count,  in 
life  and  in  death,  upon  her  culinary  accomplish- 
ments. On  such  occasions  it  was  my  duty  to  double 
my  spine,  shake  my  head,  and  laugh  boisterously 
until  Dame  Eamona  recovered  herself.  And  I 
complied  therewith  religiously. 

"Ay,  but  how  good  it  was  yesterday,  Don 
Julian! " 

"  And  why  not  to-day?  " 

"Because  yesterday  was  yesterday,  and  to-day 
is  to-day." 

Before  this  invincible  reason  I  grew  serious,  and 
a  sigh  escaped  me.  Dame  Eamona  went  off  in  a 
3 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

fresh  fit  of  laughter,  followed  by  a  corresponding 
attack  of  asthmatic  coughing.  When  at  last  she 
recovered  herself  she  finished  washing  the  glass  in 
her  hands,  and  called  to  three  or  four  sailors  chat- 
ting in  a  corner: 

"  Come,  up  with  you!    I  am  going  to  lock  up." 

One  of  them  ventured  to  say: 

"Wait  a  bit,  Dame  Ramona.  We'll  go  when 
that  gentleman  does." 

The  hostess,  frowning  grimly,  volunteered  in 
solemn  accents: 

"  This  gentleman  has  come  to  eat  some  stewed 
tripe,  and  the  table  is  set  for  him." 

Thereupon  the  customers,  feeling  the  weight  of 
this  hint,  and  comprehending  the  gravity  of  the 
occasion,  lost  no  time  in  rising  to  depart.  Gazing 
at  me  for  an  instant  with  a  mixture  of  respect  and 
admiration  they  went  out,  wishing  us  good-night. 

"  Well,  Don  Julian!  "  exclaimed  Dame  Ramona, 
her  face  brightening  again,  "  that  tripe  of  yesterday 
fairly  was  of  a  kind  to  make  one's  mouth  water  with 
delight." 

My  face  must  have  expressed  the  most  profound 
despair. 

"  And  that  of  to-day — won't  it  do  anything?  "  I 
inquired  in  tones  of  woe. 

"  To-day — to-day — you  will  see  for  yourself." 

She  waved  her  fat  hand  in  a  way  calculated  to 
leave  me  submerged  in  a  sea  of  doubt. 
4 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

While  she  was  giving  the  last  touches  to  her 
work,  I  took  some  absinthe  to  prepare  my  stomach 
adequately  for  its  task,  at  the  same  time  medi- 
tating upon  the  serious  words  that  I  had  heard. 

Would  it,  or  would  it  not,  be  so  well  seasoned, 
piquant,  and  aromatic  as  my  imagination  depicted? 

But  when  I  had  seated  myself  at  the  table;  when 
I  saw  the  dish  before  me  and  felt  its  bland  fra- 
grance penetrating  my  nostrils,  a  ray  of  light  illu- 
mining my  brain  dissipated  that  dark  spectral 
doubt.  My  heart  began  to  palpitate  with  inex- 
plicable pleasure.  I  comprehended  that  the  gods 
still  held  in  reserve  some  moments  of  happiness 
in  this  world. 

Dame  Eamona  divined  the  emotion  that  over- 
powered my  soul,  and  smiled  with  maternal  benevo- 
lence. 

"What's  that,  Dame  Ramona?"  I  exclaimed, 
pausing  with  my  fork  held  motionless  in  the  air. 
"  Did  you  hear  it?  " 

"  Yes,  senor;  I  heard  a  scream." 

"It  called 'Help!'" 

"  Out  on  the  wharf." 

"  Another  scream! " 

I  threw  down  the  fork  and  rushed  to  the  door, 
followed  by  my  hostess.  When  I  opened  it  I  heard 
a  sound  of  incoherent  lamentation. 

"My  mother!  Help!  For  God's  sake!  She  is 
drowning! " 

5 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

In  two  jumps  I  leaped  over  the  rampart  between 
me  and  the  wharf,  and  made  out  the  figure  of  a 
woman  waving  her  arms  convulsively  and  uttering 
piteous  screams. 

I  saw  what  had  happened,  and,  running  to  her, 
I  asked: 

"Who  has  fallen  in?" 

"  My  mother!    Save  her!    Save  her! " 

"Where?" 

"  Here! " 

And  she  pointed  out  the  narrow  space  in  the 
water  between  a  lighter  and  the  wharf. 

Although  narrow,  it  was  too  wide  for  me  to  reach 
the  craft.  I  plucked  up  courage,  however,  and 
sprang  for  the  rigging  rather  than  the  deck,  man- 
aging to  grasp  a  cable.  In  this  way  I  dropped  to 
the  deck.  Seizing  the  first  rope  I  came  across,  I 
made  it  fast  and  slid  down  to  the  water's  edge. 
Happily,  the  woman  had  also  grasped  the  rope  and 
so  kept  herself  afloat.  When  I  got  to  her  I  en- 
deavored to  seize  her  by  the  head.  But  only  a  wig 
remained  in  my  hand!  I  made  another  attempt, 
and  this  time  caught  her  arm.  I  drew  her  to  the 
side  of  the  vessel.  Then  I  saw  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  get  her  out  without  help.  How  could 
I  climb  the  rope  with  one  hand  only?  Fortunately 
the  cries  of  the  daughter,  together  with  my  own, 
aroused  the  crew  of  a  lighter,  composed  of  four 
sailors,  and  they  easily  got  us  out.  There  were 

e 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

some  planks  at  hand,  and  so  we  reached  the  wharf 
with  her  and  took  her  to  an  apothecary's  near  by, 
where  she  was  at  last  restored  to  consciousness. 

While  the  apothecary  was  attending  her,  the 
daughter,  pale  and  silent,  bent  over  her,  her  face 
bathed  with  tears.  She  was  a  young  lady  of  good 
stature,  slender,  pale,  her  hair  black  and  wavy;  her 
whole  personality,  if  not  of  supreme  beauty,  at- 
tractive and  interesting.  She  was  dressed  with 
elegance,  her  mother  also;  and  I  inferred  that  they 
were  persons  distinguished  in  the  town.  But  one 
of  the  throng  that  had  pressed  into  the  shop  in- 
formed me  that  they  were  strangers,  and  had  been 
but  a  few  days  in  Gijon. 

When  I  found  that  she  was  neither  dead  nor  hurt 
to  any  serious  extent,  and  feeling  the  chill  of  the 
bath  penetrating  me  and  making  me  shiver,  I 
wished  them  good-night. 

The  young  lady  raised  her  head,  came  towards 
me  with  animation,  and  seizing  my  hands  cordially, 
looked  into  my  eyes  with  tearful  earnestness,  and 
murmured  with  emotion: 

"Thank  you,  thank  you,  senor!  I  shall  never 
forget  this! " 

I  gave  her  to  understand  that  my  service  de- 
served no  thanks;  that  anybody  in  my  place  would 
have  done  the  same,  as  I  sincerely  thought.  The 
only  real  sacrifice  that  I  had  made  was  that  of  the 
stewed  tripe;  but  I  did  not  say  this,  very  naturally. 
7 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

When  I  reached  the  steamer  and  got  into  my 
room  I  felt  so  chilled  that  I  feared  a  heavy  cold, 
if  not  pneumonia.  But  I  rubbed  myself  energetic- 
ally with  alcohol  and  wrapped  myself  so  warmly  in 
my  bed  that  I  wakened  as  usual  in  the  morning, 
healthy  and  lively,  and  in  excellent  humor. 


CHAPTEE   II. 

WHEN"  I  had  dressed  myself,  and  after  I  had 
complied  with  my  ordinary  duties  and 
looked  after  the  carpenters  repairing  the  damages 
from  the  fire,  I  thought  of  the  lady  who  had  been 
on  the  point  of  drowning  the  night  before.  In 
strict  truth,  the  one  whom  I  thought  of  was  the 
daughter.  Those  eyes  were  of  the  kind  that  neither 
can  be,  nor  should  be,  forgotten.  And  with  the 
vague  hope  of  seeing  them  again  I  went  ashore  and 
directed  my  steps  towards  the  apothecary's. 

The  druggist  informed  me  that  they  were  stop- 
ping at  the  Iberia.  So  I  went  to  ask  about  the 
lady's  condition. 

"  Is  it  necessary  that  you  should  see  them?  "  the 
chambermaid  asked  me. 

That  was  my  desire,  but  I  hardly  ventured  to  say 
so.  I  told  her  it  was  not  necessary,  but  I  should 
like  to  know  how  they  had  passed  the  night.  I 
was  told  that  Dona  Amparo  (the  old  lady)  had 
rested  fairly  well  and  that  the  doctor,  who  had 
just  gone,  found  her  better  than  he  had  expected. 
Dona  Cristina  (the  young  lady)  was  perfectly  well. 
I  left  my  card  and  went  down  stairs  somewhat  de- 
9 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

pressed.  But  I  had  no  sooner  reached  the  street 
floor  than  the  chambermaid  came  after  me  and 
asked  me  to  come  back,  saying  that  the  ladies 
wished  to  see  me. 

Dona  Cristina  came  out  into  the  corridor  to 
meet  me.  She  wore  an  elegant  morning-gown  of  a 
violet  color,  and  her  black  hair  was  half-imprisoned 
by  a  white  cap  with  violet  ribbons.  Her  eyes  were 
beaming  with  delight  and  she  held  out  her  hand 
most  cordially. 

"  Good  morning,  Captain.  Why  were  you  avoid- 
ing the  thanks  we  wished  to  give  you?  I  had  just 
finished  a  letter  to  you  in  which  I  expressed,  if  not 
all  the  gratitude  we  feel,  at  least  a  part.  But  it  is 
better  that  you  have  come — and  yet  the  letter  was 
not  wholly  bad!  "  she  added,  smiling.  "  Although 
you  may  not  believe  it,  we  women  are  more  elo- 
quent with  the  pen  than  with  the  tongue." 

She  took  me  into  a  parlor  where  there  was  an 
alcove  whose  glazed  doors  were  shut. 

"  Mamma,"  she  called,  "  here  is  the  gentleman 
who  saved  you,  the  captain  of  the  Urano." 

I  heard  a  melancholy  murmuring,  something  like 
suppressed  sighing  and  sobbing,  with  words  be- 
tween that  I  could  not  make  out.  I  questioned 
the  daughter  with  my  eyes. 

"  She  says  that  she  regrets  extremely  having 
caused  you  to  risk  your  life." 

I  replied  in  a  loud  tone  that  I  had  run  no  danger 
10 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

at  all;  but  even  if  I  had,  I  was  simply  doing  my 
duty. 

Again  there  proceeded  from  the  alcove  various 
confused  sounds. 

"  She  tells  me  to  give  you  a  tablespoonful  of 
orange-flower  extract." 

"  What  for?  "  I  exclaimed  in  surprise. 

"  She  thinks  that  you  also  must  have  sustained 
a  shock,"  explained  Dona  Cristina,  laughing. 
"  Mamma  uses  that  remedy  a  great  deal,  and 
makes  us  all  take  it  too.  Just  tell  her  that  you 
are  going  to  take  it,  and  it  will  please  her  im- 
mensely." 

Before  I  could  recover  from  my  astonishment 
I  did  as  Dona  Cristina  requested,  and  was  imme- 
diately rewarded  with  a  murmur  of  approval. 

"  I  have  just  given  it  to  him,  mamma,"  she  an- 
nounced, darting  a  mischievous  glance  at  me. 
"  Now  you  may  feel  at  ease!  " 

"Many  thanks,  senora,"  I  called  out.  "I  be- 
lieve it  will  do  me  good,  for  I  was  feeling  a  bit 
nervous." 

Dona  Cristina  pressed  my  hand  and  struggled  to 
keep  from  laughing.  She  said  in  a  low  voice: 

"  Bravo!  You  are  on  the  way  to  become  a  con- 
summate actor." 

The  strange  and  unintelligible  sounds  renewed 
themselves. 

"  She  asks  if  you  have  telegraphed  to  your  wife, 
11 


The  Joy  of"  Captain  Ribot 

and  advises  you  not  to  do  so,  as  it  migljt  frighten 
her." 

"  I  have  no  wife.    I  am  a  bachelor." 

"  Then  to  your  mother,"  Dona  Cristina  had  the 
goodness  to  interpret. 

"  I  have  no  mother,  either;  nor  father,  nor 
brothers  or  sisters.  I  am  alone  in  the  world." 

Dona  Amparo,  so  far  as  I  could  understand, 
showed  herself  surprised  and  displeased  at  my  lone 
condition,  and  invited  me  to  change  it  without 
loss  of  time.  She  also  added  that  a  man  like  me 
was  destined  to  make  any  woman  happy.  I  do  not 
know  what  qualities  of  a  husband  the  lady  could 
have  observed  in  me,  except  facility  in  grasping 
and  sliding  down  a  cable.  I  responded  that  surely 
I  desired  nothing  else;  but  up  to  now  no  occasion 
had  presented  itself.  My  life  as  a  mariner,  to-day 
in  one  place,  to-morrow  in  another,  the  shyness  of 
men  like  me  who  do  not  frequent  society,  and  even 
the  fact  that  I  had  not  met  a  woman  who  really 
interested  me — all  this  had  impeded  its  realization. 

While  saying  this  I  fixed  my  gaze  upon  the  smil- 
ing eyes  of  Dona  Cristina. 

A  sweet  and  fanciful  thought  thereupon  came 
into  my  head. 

"Let  us  change  the  subject,  mamma.  Every- 
one follows  his  own  pleasure,  and  if  the  Captain 
has  not  married  it  must  be,  of  course,  because  he 
has  not  cared  to." 

19 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Exactly/'  said  I,  smiling,  and  gazing  at  her 
fixedly,  "  I  have  not  cared  to  marry  up  to  the  pres- 
ent, but  I  cannot  say  that  I  may  not  care  to  some 
day  when  least  looked  for." 

"  Meanwhile  we  wish  that  you  may  be  happy; 
that  you  may  get  a  very  handsome  wife  and  a  half- 
dozen  plump  children — lively  and  mischievous." 

"  Amen,"  I  exclaimed. 

The  frankness  and  graciousness  of  the  young 
lady  were  spontaneously  attractive.  I  felt  as  much 
at  ease  with  her  as  if  I  had  known  her  for  years.  She 
invited  me  to  seat  myself  on  the  sofa,  seating  her- 
self there  also,  speaking  low  that  her  mother  might 
rest,  for  the  doctor  had  said  that  she  had  better  not 
talk. 

I  asked  for  the  details  of  her  mother's  condition, 
and  was  told  that  she  had  suffered  a  slight  con- 
tusion on  the  shoulder,  which  the  doctor  had  said 
was  of  little  account.  He  had  also  overcome  the 
ill  effects  of  the  chill.  The  only  thing  to  be  feared 
was  the  nervous  shock.  Her  mamma  was  very 
nervous;  her  heart  troubled  her,  and  nobody  could 
say  what  might  be  the  consequences  of  that  terrible 
shock.  I  did  my  best  to  assuage  her  fears.  Then 
to  make  conversation,  I  asked  her  if  they  were 
Asturians,  although  knowing  that  they  were  not, 
both  from  what  the  doctor  had  said,  and  because  of 
their  accent. 

"  No,  senor,  we  are  Valencianas." 
13 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"Really?  Valencianas?"  I  exclaimed.  "Then 
we  are  almost  compatriots!  I  was  born  in  Ali- 
cante." 

So  we  continued  the  talk  in  Valencian,  with 
pleasure  unspeakable  on  my  part,  and  I  think  also 
on  her  part.  She  told  me  that  they  had  been  in 
Gijon  only  nine  days,  having  come  to  visit  a  nun 
who  was  her  mother's  sister.  They  had  had  this 
intention  for  years,  and  had  never  carried  it  into 
effect  before,  on  account  of  the  length  and  dis- 
comfort of  the  journey.  At  last  they  had  under- 
taken it,  but  unfortunately,  it  seemed,  for  it  had 
nearly  cost  her  mother  her  life.  They  were  pleased 
with  the  country,  although  it  seemed  rather  dull 
in  comparison  with  their  own. 

"  0  Valencia! "  I  exclaimed  with  ardor,  "  I 
who  have  visited  the  most  remote  regions  of  the 
earth  and  have  been  on  so  many  diverse  shores, 
have  never  found  anything  comparable  to  that 
land.  There  the  sun  does  not  rise  in  blood,  as  it 
does  in  the  North,  nor  scorch  as  in  Andalusia;  its 
light  is  gently  diffused  in  balmy  and  tranquil  air. 
The  sea  does  not  terrify  as  it  does  here;  it  is  bluer 
and  its  foam  is  whiter  and  lighter.  There  the  birds 
sing  with  notes  more  dulcet  and  varied;  there  the 
breeze  caresses  at  night  as  by  day;  there  the  de- 
licious fruits,  that  in  other  parts  are  in  season  only 
in  the  heat  of  summer,  are  enjoyed  the  year  around; 
there  not  only  the  flowers  and  the  herbs  have  scent, 
14 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

the  earth  itself  exhales  a  delicate  aroma.  There  life 
is  not  sad  and  weary.  Everything  is  gentle,  every- 
thing serene  and  harmonious.  And  the  tranquil- 
lity of  Nature  seems  to  be  reflected  in  the  profound 
gaze  of  the  Valencian  women." 

That  of  Dona  Cristina,  which  was  the  most  gen- 
tle and  profound  I  had  ever  seen,  sparkled  with  a 
certain  mischievous  delight. 

"  Who  would  think,  hearing  you  talk,  that  you 
were  a  sea- wolf!  You  speak  like  a  poet.  I  am 
almost  tempted  to  believe  that  you  have  con- 
tributed verses  to  the  periodicals." 

"  Oh,  no!  "  I  exclaimed,  laughing.  "  I  am  an 
inoffensive  poet.  I  never  write  either  verses  or 
prose;  but  you  will  pardon  me  for  saying  that  those 
eyes  of  yours  revived  in  my  memory  various  beauti- 
ful things,  all  Valencian,  and  the  poetry  went  to 
my  head." 

Dona  Cristina  appeared  to  remain  in  suspense 
for  a  moment;  she  regarded  me  with  more  curi- 
osity than  gratification,  and  changing  the  con- 
versation she  asked  graciously: 

"  And  the  steamer  that  you  are  commanding — 
does  she  go  to  America?  " 

"  Only  once  in  a  while.  Usually  we  run  between 
Barcelona  and  Hamburg." 

"  And  your  stop  here  is  for  several  days?  " 

"  Just  long  enough  to  repair  the  damages  from  a 
little  fire  on  board,  day  before  yesterday." 
15 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

On  my  part,  I  asked  how  long  they  proposed  to 
remained  in  Gijon. 

"  We  had  been  thinking  of  leaving  the  day  after 
to-morrow  and  stopping  some  days  in  Madrid, 
where  we  expected  to  meet  my  husband;  but  now 
it  is  necessary  to  postpone  going  on  account  of  what 
has  happened.  At  all  events,  as  soon  as  my  mother 
has  completely  recovered  herself  and  the  doctor 
gives  permission,  we  shall  start/' 

I  must  confess  it  although  it  may  seem  ridiculous 
— that  "  my  husband  "  produced  a  strange  sensa- 
tion of  chill  and  discouragement  in  me  that  I  could 
scarcely  succeed  in  hiding.  How  the  devil  had  it 
not  occurred  to  me  that  the  young  lady  might  be 
married?  I  cannot  account  for  it  to  this  day. 
And  conceding  it  to  be  the  case,  why  should  the 
information  cause  such  a  bitter  emotion  when  it 
concerned  a  person  whom  I  was  only  just  beginning 
to  be  acquainted  with?  I  cannot  account  for  that 
either.  I  am  tempted  to  believe  in  the  truth  of 
what  happens  in  the  old  comedies  when  the  gallant 
is  fired  with  love  at  first  sight  of  the  lady.  If  I  was 
not  on  fire,  at  least  I  had  on  board  all  the  materials 
for  the  fire. 

Nevertheless,  reason  soon  asserted  its  supremacy. 
I  comprehended  the  absurdity  and  the  ridiculous 
character  of  my  sensations,  and,  calming  myself, 
I  asked  about  her  husband  with  natural  and 
friendly  interest.  She  told  me  that  he  was  called 
16 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Emilio  Marti,  and  was  one  of  the  partners  in  the 
shipping  house  of  Castell  and  Marti,  whose 
steamers  run  to  Liverpool.  Moreover,  he  had  vari- 
ous other  lines  of  business,  for  he  was  an  active 
and  enterprising  man.  They  had  been  married 
only  two  years. 

"  And  you  have  no  family?  " 

"  Not  as  yet,"  she  responded,  blushing  slightly. 

She  went  on  to  tell  me  that  they  were  both 
born  in  Valencia,  where  they  had  always  lived; 
through  the  winter  in  the  city,  Calle  del  Mar;  in  the 
summer  time  at  their  villa  in  Cabanal. 

I  knew  several  of  the  Castell  and  Marti  steamers. 
I  spoke  of  my  satisfaction  in  placing  myself  at  the 
service  of  the  wife  of  one  of  their  owners. 

We  talked  a  little  longer.  I  was  downcast  and 
felt  a  desire  to  go.  I  managed  to  take  my  leave, 
but  not  without  another  dialogue  with  Dona  Am- 
paro  with  closed  doors  and  an  interpreter.  On 
reaching  the  street  my  unfounded  and  even  ir- 
rational depression  was  soon  dissipated,  as  I  talked 
with  acquaintances  and  went  about  my  affairs.  But 
all  through  the  day  the  figure  of  Dona  Cristina 
was  constantly  present  to  my  imagination.  I  adore 
women  who  are  slender  and  white,  with  great  black 
eyes.  My  friends  used  to  tell  me  once  that  in  order 
to  suit  my  taste  a  woman  must  be  in  the  last  stage 
of  phthisis.  They  were  not  far  from  right.  My 
only  love  had  been  a  consumptive,  and  she  died 
2  17 


The  Joy  of"  Captain  Ribot 

when  all  the  preparations  were  made  for  our 
marriage. 

The  next  day  I  held  it  to  be  in  the  line  of  my 
duty  to  go  to  the  hotel  to  inquire  about  the  ladies. 
Dona  Cristina  asked  me  in  and  received  me  with 
even  greater  cordiality,  putting  her  finger  to  her 
lips  and  asking  me  to  speak  in  whispers  like  her- 
self, for  her  mother  was  sleeping.  We  seated  our- 
selves on  the  sofa  and  chatted  in  low  but  lively 
tones.  Dona  Amparo  was  well,  and  required  noth- 
ing but  attention. 

"  Moreover  (I  will  tell  you  in  confidence),  until 
they  have  finished  her  wig  she  will  not  show  herself 
outside  her  room." 

"  Ah,  the  wig!     Yes,  I  remember  now." 

"  Yes,  you  remember  that  you  tore  it  off,  wicked 
one!  "  she  replied,  laughing. 

"  Senora,  it  was  impossible  to  foresee!  It  is 
fortunate  that  I  did  not  tear  her  head  from  her 
body." 

We  both  laughed  heartily,  forcing  ourselves  at 
the  same  time  to  laugh  noiselessly.  A  moment 
later  she  said,  in  a  way  so  natural  that  it  pleased  me 
immensely: 

"  I  am  hungry,  captain,  and  am  going  to  have 
some  breakfast.  Will  you  not  join  me?" 

I  thanked  her  and  excused  myself.  But  as  I 
could  not  say  that  I  had  breakfasted  she  said  that 
of  course  I  must  breakfast  with  her,  and  went  out 
18 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

to  give  some  orders.  I  felt  delighted,  and  even  if 
I  should  say  enthusiastic  it  would  not  be  an  un- 
truth. While  the  maid  was  getting  the  table  ready 
in  the  room  where  we  were,  we  continued  our  chat, 
our  mutual  confidence  steadily  growing.  All 
through  the  breakfast  she  treated  me  with  a  cor- 
diality so  frank  and  hospitable  that  it  quite 
charmed  me.  She  cut  bread  and  meat  for  me  with 
her  own  hands  and  poured  out  wine  and  water. 
When  I  wanted  a  dish  or  a  plate,  with  provincial 
simplicity  she  would  jump  up  and  take  it  from  the 
sideboard  without  waiting  for  the  maid. 

I  told  her  jestingly  of  the  grave  occupation  in 
which  her  cries  had  surprised  me  the  night  of  the 
accident.  She  laughed  heartily  and  promised  to 
make  it  up  to  me  when  I  came  to  Valencia,  by  cook- 
ing a  paella  for  me  by  all  the  rules  of  the  art. 

"Not  that  I  have  the  mad  presumption  of  ex- 
pecting to  make  you  forget  the  tripe  of  Senora 
Eamona.  I  shall  be  satisfied  if  you  eat  a  couple  of 
platefuls." 

"Why  a  couple?  I  perceive  with  sadness  that 
you  take  me  for  a  gross  and  material  being.  I 
hope  to  show  you,  in  the  course  of  time,  that  apart 
from  these  hours  of  tripe  and  snails,  I  am  a  man 
naturally  spiritually-minded,  poetic,  and  even,  to 
some  extent,  delicate." 

She  ridiculed  this,  piling  up  my  plate  in  most 
scandalous  style,  inviting  me  not  to  dissimulate 
19 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

my  true  condition,  but  to  eat  as  if  she  were  not 
present. 

"  Do  not  think  of  my  being  a  lady.  Fancy  your- 
self breakfasting  with  a  companion — the  pilot,  for 
instance." 

"  I  have  not  sufficient  imagination  for  that.  The 
pilot  is  squint-eyed  and  lacks  two  teeth." 

This  lively  and  intimate  chat  intoxicated  me 
more  than  the  Bordeaux  that  she  poured  for  me 
without  ceasing.  And  her  eyes  intoxicated  me 
more  than  the  wine  or  the  chat.  Although  we 
talked  in  whispers  and  checked  our  laughter,  occa- 
sionally there  escaped  me  an  indiscreet  note.  Dona 
Cristina  raised  her  finger  to  her  lips.  "  Silence, 
Captain,  or  I  shall  have  to  sentence  you  to  the 
corridor  before  you  have  half  breakfasted." 

She  asked  me  to  tell  her  something  about  my  life. 
I  gratified  her  curiosity,  relating  my  history,  which 
was  simple  enough.  We  discussed  the  pleasures  of 
a  sailor's  life,  which  she  thought  superior  to  those 
of  any  other. 

"  I  adore  the  sea,  but  the  sea  of  my  home  above 
all.  Here  it  makes  me  afraid  and  sad.  If  you 
could  see  how  often  I  go  to  the  window  of  our  villa 
at  Cabanal  to  look  at  it! " 

"  But  in  Valencia  I  prefer  the  women  to  the  sea," 
I  remarked,  having  reached  too  lively  a  stage. 

"  I  can  believe  it,"  she  responded,  smiling. 
"  Oh,  they  are  very  beautiful.  I  have  a  little  cousin 
20 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

named  Isabel  who  is  truly  perfection.  What  eyes 
that  child  has! " 

"  Are  they  more  beautiful  than  yours?  "  I  asked 
presumptuously. 

"  Oh,  mine  are  of  no  account/'  she  answered  with 
a  blush. 

"Of  no  account?"  I  questioned  with  astonish- 
ment. "  Indeed,  there  are  no  others  so  bewitching 
on  all  this  eastern  coast,  among  all  the  beautiful 
ones  that  there  abound.  They  are  two  stars  of 
heaven!  They  are  a  happy  dream  from  which  one 
would  never  wish  to  awake!  " 

She  instantly  became  serious.  She  kept  silence 
for  a  while,  without  raising  her  eyes  from  the  table- 
cloth. Then  she  said  with  an  affected  indifference, 
not  free  from  severity: 

"  You  have  breakfasted  fairly  well,  have  you 
not?  But  on  board  the  food  is  better  than  at 
hotels." 

I  kept  silent  for  a  while,  in  turn.  Without 
responding  to  her  question,  after  a  moment  I  said: 

"  Pardon  me.  We  sailors  express  ourselves  too 
frankly.  We  are  not  versed  in  etiquette,  but  our 
intentions  must  excuse  us.  Mine  were  not  to  say 
anything  impertinent." 

She  was  immediately  mollified,  and  we  continued 
our  chat  with  the  same  cordiality  until  the  end  of 
the  breakfast. 


CHAPTER   HI. 

I  WENT  back  to  the  ship  in  a  worse  state  than 
that  of  the  day  before.  The  lady  occupied  my 
thoughts  more  than  was  desirable  for  content  or 
peace  of  mind.  I  went  back  again  that  afternoon 
and  again  the  next  day.  Her  interesting  figure, 
her  eyes — so  black,  so  innocent,  and  so  piquant  at 
the  same  time,  were  rapidly  penetrating  my  soul. 
And  as  always  happens  in  such  cases,  her  eyes  first 
began  to  please  me  and  then  her  voice  began  to 
enchant  me;  soon  it  was  her  fine  hands,  like  ala- 
baster; a  little  after  that  the  soft  veil  of  hair  that 
adorned  her  temples;  immediately  thereupon,  three 
little  dimples  in  her  right  cheek.  At  last  I  found 
happiness  in  a  certain  defective  way  she  had  of 
pronouncing  the  letter  B. 

These  and  other  discoveries  of  like  importance 
could  not  be  made,  it  is  evident,  without  due  at- 
tention, all  of  which,  instead  of  pleasing  the  lady, 
annoyed  her  visibly.  She  always  received  me 
cordially,  but  not  with  her  former  frankness  of 
manner.  I  observed,  not  without  pain,  that  in 
spite  of  the  gayety  and  animation  of  her  conversa- 
tion she  revealed  a  bit  of  disquiet  in  the  depths, 
22 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

as  if  fearing  that  I  might  again  say  something  un- 
welcome. While  comprehending  this,  nevertheless 
I  had  not  the  force  of  will  to  stop  gazing  at  her 
more  than  I  should. 

At  last  the  wig  was  brought  in  secret  to  the 
hotel.  Dona  Amparo  tried  it  on  in  the  most  abso- 
lute privacy;  she  found  it  imperfect.  It  was  re- 
turned to  the  hands  of  its  maker;  various  changes 
were  effected  in  it  without  either  the  public  or  the 
authorities  becoming  aware  of  the  fact,  and  after 
various  trials  equally  secret  the  good  lady  emerged 
as  fresh  and  juvenile  as  if  my  sinful  hands  had 
never  attacked  her  charms.  For  in  spite  of  all — 
that  is,  in  spite  of  the  wig,  of  years,  and  of  obesity 
— Dona  Amparo  had  not  completely  lost  her 
charms. 

They  invited  me  to  take  a  drive  with  them 
through  the  environs  of  the  city.  The  pleasure 
with  which  I  accepted  may  be  imagined.  On 
reaching  the  country  we  alighted,  and  for  an  hour 
we  feasted  our  eyes  upon  that  smiling  and  splendid 
landscape.  I  found  myself  happy,  and  this  happi- 
ness incited  me  to  show  towards  Dona  Cristina 
great  deference  and  gentleness  of  speech.  I  felt 
impelled  to  say  to  her  everything  beautiful  and  in- 
teresting that  occurred  to  me.  But  she,  as  if 
divining  these  perverse  tendencies  of  my  tongue, 
curbed  it  with  tact  and  firmness,  asking  me  some 
indifferent  question  whenever  there  seemed  to  be 
23 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

any  danger  of  my  uttering  something  indiscreet, 
leaving  me  with  her  mamma  while  she  went  on 
ahead,  or  taking  pains  to  make  her  mother  talk. 
This  did  not  dishearten  me.  I  was  so  stupid,  or  so 
indiscreet,  that  in  spite  of  these  clear  signals  I  still 
persisted  in  seeking  pretexts  for  directing  various 
whiffs  of  incense  towards  her.  I  declare,  however, 
that  I  did  not  think  I  was  acting  the  gallant.  I  be- 
lieved in  good  faith  that  such  obsequiousness  and 
such  flatteries  were  legitimate;  for  we  Spaniards 
from  remote  antiquity  have  arrogated  to  ourselves 
the  right  of  telling  all  pretty  women  that  they  are 
pretty,  without  other  consequences.  But  she  cast 
doubts  upon  the  correctness  of  such  a  proceeding. 
That  these  doubts  were  not  ill-founded  I  see  clearly 
enough,  now  that  the  mist  of  my  sentiments  has 
been  completely  dissipated  and  I  read  my  soul  as 
in  an  open  book. 

It  chanced  that  that  same  afternoon,  on  our  way 
back  to  the  city,  seeing  the  numerous  and  hand- 
some country  houses  that  we  passed,  Dona  Cristina 
remarked: 

"  Our  place  at  Cabanal  is  very  charming,  but  not 
sumptuous.  My  husband  is  not  satisfied  with  it; 
he  wants  something  better." 

"  He  wants  something  better?  "  I  cried  without 
stopping  to  think.  "  But  if  /  were  your  husband, 
I  could  desire  nothing!  " 

The  lady  kept  silence  for  a  moment,  turned  her 
24 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

face  towards  the  window  to  look  at  the  road,  and 
murmured  ironically, — 

"  Well,  sir;  let  us  have  patience." 

I  believe  that  not  only  my  cheeks,  my  forehead, 
and  my  ears  turned  scarlet,  but  even  the  whites  of 
my  eyes.  For  several  minutes  I  felt  on  my  face 
the  impression  of  two  red-hot  bricks.  I  did  not 
know  what  to  say,  and  seeking  escape  from  my 
embarrassment  I  turned  to  the  other  window  and 
remained  in  ecstatic  contemplation  of  the  land- 
scape. Dona  Amparo,  who  had  remarked  nothing, 
spoke  in  response  to  her  daughter's  observation: 

"  Emilio  is  a  very  good  man,  very  industrious, 
although  somewhat  fantastic." 

"How  is  he  fantastic?"  exclaimed  Cristina, 
turning  sharply,  as  if  struck.  "  Because  he  desires 
what  is  better,  more  beautiful,  and  seeks  to  acquire 
it?  That  shows  rather  his  good  taste  and  good 
will.  For  if  the  world  did  not  have  men  who  as- 
pired to  perfection,  who  always  see  a  '  farther  on ' 
and  who  take  steps  to  approach  it,  neither  these 
handsome  country  houses  nor  others  still  better, 
nor  any  of  the  comforts  that  we  enjoy  to-day  would 
exist.  The  idlers,  the  spendthrifts,  and  the  poor  in 
spirit  ridicule  such  ideas  so  long  as  they  are  not 
realized;  but  when  the  hour  comes  that  the  ends 
aimed  at  can  be  seen  and  touched,  they  shut  them- 
selves up  in  their  houses  and  refuse  to  congratulate 
those  who  made  it  possible  because  they  do  not 
35 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

care  to  confess  their  stupidity.  Then  you  know 
well  that  Emilio,  however  '  fantastic/  has  never 
had  the  fantasy  to  think  of  himself;  that  all  his 
efforts  are  devoted  to  give  pleasure  and  prosperity 
to  his  family,  to  his  friends,  and  to  his  neighbors, 
and  that  all  his  life  up  to  now  has  been  a  constant 
sacrifice  for  others." 

Dona  Amparo,  during  this  vehement  discourse, 
showed  herself  strangely  affected.  I  was  aston- 
ished to  see  her  stammer,  rub  her  eyes,  grow  red  in 
the  face,  and  fall  backward  as  if  in  a  swoon. 

"  I — is  it  possible? — my  son!  " 

Uttering  these  incoherent  words,  she  swayed, 
then  seemed  to  lose  all  sense  of  the  external  world. 
To  restore  her  to  consciousness  it  was  necessary  for 
her  daughter  to  bathe  her  temples  with  eau  de 
Cologne  and  apply  sal-volatile  to  her  nostrils.  When 
at  last  she  opened  her  eyes  there  burst  forth  a  flood 
of  tears  that  flowed  down  her  cheeks  and  poured 
into  her  lap  like  a  copious  rain,  some  of  which 
moistened  my  coat.  At  these  symptoms  Dona 
Cristina  again  opened  the  little  satchel  that  she 
carried,  that  I  could  see  contained  numerous  little 
flasks.  She  took  one  of  these,  together  with  a 
lump  of  sugar,  and  moistened  the  latter  with  several 
drops  of  liquid.  She  thrust  the  sugar  into  her 
mother's  mouth;  that  lady  gradually  recovered  her 
senses  and  at  last  was  conscious  of  her  whereabouts 
and  of  who  was  with  her. 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

On  my  part,  being  the  indirect  cause  of  the  un- 
fortunate scene,  I  understood  that  nothing  would 
be  more  suitable  than  for  me  to  throw  myself  out  of 
the  carriage  window,  even  though  I  should  fracture 
my  head;  but  imagining  that  the  results  of  such  a 
procedure  might  be  too  melancholy,  I  hit  upon  a 
decorous  substitute  by  biting  at  the  head  of  my 
cane  and  staring  into  vacancy.  Dona  Cristina  did 
not  choose  to  take  cognizance  of  these  tragic  mani- 
festations, but  they  so  penetrated  the  heart  of  her 
mamma  that  the  latter  seized  my  hands  convul- 
sively, murmuring  occasionally: 

"  Eibot!     Eibot!     Kibot! " 

Fearing  that  she  might  again  enter  into  the 
world  of  the  unconscious,  I  hastened  to  take  the 
flask  of  salts  and  hold  it  to  her  nose. 

The  rest  of  the  way  back,  heaven  be  praised!  was 
traversed  without  further  mishap,  and  I  made  des- 
perate efforts  to  have  my  foolishness  forgotten  and 
forgiven,  talking  with  all  formality  about  various 
things,  principally  of  those  most  to  the  taste  of 
Dona  Cristina.  At  length  I  was  rewarded  by  see- 
ing her  bright  face  again  unclouded  and  her  eyes 
expressing  their  accustomed  frank  joyousness. 
And,  prompted  by  her  humor,  she  even  went  so 
far  as  to  make  gracious  fun  of  her  mamma. 

"Did  you  know,  Captain  Eibot,  that  mamma 
never  swoons  except  when  she  is  with  the  family, 
or  among  persons  in  whom  she  confides?  The 
27 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

greatest  proof  of  the  sympathy  with  which  you  in- 
spire her  is  that  which  she  has  just  given." 

"  Cristina!  Cristina!  "  exclaimed  Dona  Amparo, 
half  smiling,  half  indignant. 

"Now,  be  frank,  mamma!  If  Captain  Eibot 
has  not  won  your  confidence,  how  is  it  you  ven- 
tured to  faint  away  in  his  presence?  " 

Dona  Amparo  decided  to  laugh,  giving  her 
daughter  a  pinch.  When  we  parted  at  the  hotel 
door  they  invited  me  to  breakfast  with  them  the 
next  day,  they  having  decided  to  leave  for  Madrid 
on  the  day  after  that. 

It  could  no  longer  be  doubted;  if  I  was  not  in 
love  I  was  on  the  way  to  be,  with  a  fair  wind  and  all 
sails  set.  Why  was  it  that  this  woman  had  im- 
pressed me  so  profoundly  in  so  short  a  time?  I  do 
not  think  it  was  merely  her  figure,  although  it 
coincided  with  the  ideal  type  of  beauty  that  I  had 
always  adored.  If  I  had  fallen  in  love  with  all  the 
white  and  slender  women  with  dark  eyes  that  I  had 
met  in  the  course  of  my  life,  there  would  not  have 
remained  any  time  to  do  anything  else.  But  she 
had  a  special  attractiveness,  at  least  for  me,  which 
consisted  in  a  singular  combination  of  joyousness 
and  gravity,  of  sweetness  and  brusqueness,  of  dar- 
ing and  timidity,  alternately  reflected  in  her  ex- 
pressive countenance. 

The  next  day,  at  the  appointed  time,  I  presented 
myself  at  the  hotel.  Dona  Cristina  was  in  most 
28 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

delightful  humor  and  let  me  know  that  we  were  to 
breakfast  alone,  for  her  mother  had  not  slept  well 
the  night  before  and  was  still  in  bed.  This  filled 
me  with  selfish  satisfaction,  observing  her  merry 
mood.  Before  going  to  the  table  she  served  me  an 
appetizer,  graciously  ridiculing  me. 

"  Since  you  always  have  such  a  delicate  appetite, 
and  look  so  languishing,  I  have  ordered  something 
bitter  for  you,  to  see  if  we  cannot  give  a  little  tone 
to  that  stomach  of  yours/' 

I  fell  in  with  the  jest. 

"I  am  in  despair.  I  comprehend  that  it  is 
ridiculous  to  have  such  a  ready  appetite,  but  I  am 
a  man  of  honor  and  I  confess  it.  One  time  when  I 
attempted  to  conceal  it  I  missed  my  reckoning. 
One  of  my  passengers  was  a  certain  very  charming 
and  spirituelle  lady  towards  whom  I  felt  somewhat 
favorably  disposed.  I  could  think  of  no  better 
means  to  inspire  her  interest  than  to  feign  an  ab- 
solute lack  of  appetite,  naturally  accompanied  by 
languor  and  poetic  melancholy.  At  table  I  re- 
fused the  greater  part  of  the  dishes.  My  nourish- 
ment consisted  of  tapioca,  vanilla  cream,  some 
fruit,  and  much  coffee.  Then  I  complained  of 
weakness,  and  ordered  glasses  of  sherry  with  biscuit. 
Of  course  I  suffered  terribly  from  hunger;  but  I 
overcame  it  finely  in  solitude.  The  lady  became 
enthusiastic;  she  professed  for  me  a  profound  and 
sincere  admiration,  and  despised  for  their  grossness 
29 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

all  those  at  the  table  who  were  served  with  more 
solid  nutriment.  But,  alas!  there  came  a  mo- 
ment when  she  unexpectedly  came  down  into  the 
dining-saloon  and  surprised  me  feasting  on  cold 
ham.  That  ended  the  affair.  She  never  spoke 
another  word  to  me." 

"  She  did  right,"  said  Dona  Cristina,  with  a 
laugh.  "  Hypocrisy  is  something  more  shameful 
than  a  good  appetite." 

We  began  our  breakfast,  and  I  gave  her  to  under- 
stand that  now  that  she  so  abhorred  hypocrisy 
I  proposed  to  proceed  with  all  possible  frank- 
ness. 

"  That  is  right!  Entirely  frank! "  And  she 
served  me  an  enormous  ration  of  omelette. 

We  went  on  chatting  and  laughing  in  under- 
tones, but  Dona  Cristina  did  not  neglect  to  serve 
me  with  fabulous  quantities  of  food,  greater,  in 
truth,  than  my  gastric  capacity.  I  wanted  to  de- 
cline, but  she  would  not  permit  it. 

"  Be  frank,  Captain!  You  have  promised  to  be 
entirely  frank." 

"  Sefiora,  this  surpasses  frankness.  Anybody 
might  call  it  grossness." 

"  I  do  not  call  it  so.     Go  on!     Go  on! " 

But  soon,  straightening  herself  back  in  her  chair 
a  bit,  and  assuming  a  solemn  tone,  she  spoke: 

"  Captain,  I  am  now  going  to  treat  you  as  if  you 
had  not  only  saved  my  mother's  life,  but  mine  as 
80 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

well.  At  one  and  the  same  time  I  wish  to  pay  you 
for  her  life  and  my  own." 

My  eyes  opened  widely  without  my  comprehend- 
ing the  significance  of  such  words.  Dona  Cristina 
rose  from  her  chair  and,  going  to  the  door,  opened 
it  wide.  There  appeared  the  maid  with  a  big  dish 
of  stewed  tripe  in  her  hands. 

"  Tripe!  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Stewed  by  Senora  Kamona,"  proclaimed  Dona 
Cristina,  gravely. 

The  joke  put  me  in  better  humor  yet.  But  how 
short  was  the  duration  of  that  intoxicating  delight! 
When  we  reached  the  dessert  she  informed  me,  per- 
fectly naturally: 

"I  have  news  for  you.  We  are  not  going  to- 
morrow. My  husband  is  coming  for  us  the  day 
after." 

"Yes?"  I  exclaimed,  with  the  expression  of  a 
man  who  is  forced  to  talk  under  a  shower  bath. 

"  Although  the  journey  is  a  bit  uncomfortable, 
coming  and  going  again  at  once,  he  says  that  as 
mamma  has  probably  not  yet  completely  recovered 
from  her  shock  he  does  not  like  to  have  us  travel 
alone." 

Saying  this,  she  took  the  letter  from  her  pocket 
and  proceeded  to  look  it  over.  "  He  also  tells  me  to 
give  you  a  million  thanks  and  is  glad  that  he  is  to 
have  a  chance  to  give  them  to  you  in  person." 

I  was  looking  at  the  back  of  the  letter,  but  I 
31 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

caught  the  words  of  the  ending:  "  Adios,  life  of  my 
soul,"  and  it  augmented  the  sadness  of  my  mood. 
However,  I  expressed  my  satisfaction  at  the  pros- 
pect of  knowing  Senor  Marti  so  soon,  but  it  re- 
quired some  effort  to  say  so.  As  melancholy  be- 
gan to  take  possession  of  me,  and  as  Dona  Cris- 
tina  was  not  slow  in  perceiving  the  fact,  I  found  no 
better  means  of  combating  it  than  to  take  more 
cognac  after  my  coffee  than  was  prudent.  This 
produced  an  exaltation  that  resembled,  without 
being,  joyousness.  I  chattered  away,  and  must 
have  uttered  many  ridiculous  things  and  some  of 
them  wide  of  the  mark,  although  I  cannot  remem- 
ber. Dona  Cristina  smiled  benevolently.  But 
when,  for  the  fifth  or  sixth  time,  I  took  the  de- 
canter to  pour  out  another  thimbleful,  she  touched 
my  arm,  saying: 

"  You  are  already  exceedingly  frank,  Captain.  I 
will  free  you  from  your  word." 

"  I  am  its  slave,  senora,  at  the  cost  of  my  life,"  I 
replied,  laughingly.  "  But  I  will  drink  no  more. 
I  am  resolved  to  obey  you  in  this,  as  in  everything 
you  may  command.  But  nevertheless/'  I  con- 
tinued, looking  boldly  into  her  eyes,  "there  are 
things  that  intoxicate  more  than  cognac  and  all 
spirituous  beverages." 

Dona  Cristina's  eyes  fell  and  her  fair  face 
frowned.  But  instantly  smiling,  she  said  viva- 
ciously: 

32 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  But  you  must  not  intoxicate  yourself  in  any 
fashion.  I  abhor  drunkards." 

I  did  not  wish  to  follow  this  advice;  and  though 
it  is  true  I  drank  little  more,  I  insisted  upon  gazing 
at  the  fascinating  lady.  I  continued  chatting  like 
a  dentist,  and  in  the  midst  of  my  prattle  I  came 
near  giving  utterance  to  more  than  one  endearing 
phrase;  but  Dona  Cristina,  ingeniously  and  pru- 
dently, cut  these  off  before  I  had  a  chance  to  say 
them. 

We  both  rose  from  our  seats.  "We  went  to  the 
balcony  to  look  at  the  traffic  and  movement  on  the 
wharf.  With  her  permission,  I  was  smoking  a 
Havana  cigar.  As  her  beautiful  head  occupied  my 
thoughts  more  than  the  traffic  on  the  wharf,  I 
noted  that  a  little  shell  comb  was  falling  out  of  her 
hair. 

"  If  I  were  this  little  comb  I  should  be  very  con- 
tent with  my  place.  I  would  make  no  effort  to 
escape." 

And  boldly,  with  no  thought  of  what  I  did,  I 
raised  my  hand  to  her  head  and  put  the  comb  back 
in  place. 

She  turned  as  red  as  a  cherry,  her  eyes  fell,  and 
she  remained  silent  for  several  seconds;  at  last, 
looking  me  in  the  face  with  a  lofty  expression,  she 
said  in  a  changed  tone: 

"  Senor,  I  do  not  know  what  motive  induces  you 
to  take  any  liberties  with  me.  The  service  you 
3  33 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

have  rendered  us  entitles  you  to  my  gratitude,  but 
not  to  treat  me  without  respect." 

My  semi-intoxication  was  dissipated  as  by  magic. 
It  left  me  petrified  and  ashamed  as  I  had  never  be- 
fore been  in  my  life  and  never  expect  to  be  again, 
and  I  scarcely  had  power  to  murmur  a  few 
words  of  excuse.  I  believe  she  did  not  hear  them. 
She  turned  her  back  disdainfully  and  left  the  room. 

In  about  one  moment  afterwards  there  flashed 
through  my  mind  an  idea  that  did  not  lack  a  cer- 
tain probability,  that  is  to  say,  that  I  was  super- 
fluous in  that  place.  And  without  waiting  to  ex- 
amine it  with  sufficient  attention  in  the  light  of 
reasonable  and  serious  criticism,  I  put  it  immedi- 
ately in  practice,  taking  my  hat  and  removing  my- 
self before  any  grass  had  a  chance  to  grow  under 
my  feet. 

Though  I  was  on  shipboard  and  in  the  con- 
signee's office  and  in  other  parts  of  the  city,  shame 
did  not  quit  me  all  day  long.  It  was  fastened  to 
my  face  with  a  red  seal  and  I  was  unspeakably 
mortified.  My  friends  laughed  and  murmured 
such  words  as  "  Martel  tres  estrellas,"  "  Jamaica," 
"  Anis  del  Mono,"  and  others  which  sounded  like 
marks  of  liquors,  but  I  knew  what  ailed  me,  and 
this  increased  my  woe.  On  the  next  day,  after 
washing  and  scrubbing  myself  energetically  with 
soap,  it  seemed  as  if  there  were  some  bits  of  that 
red  seal  still  adhering  to  my  skin. 
84 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Of  course  I  did  all  I  could  to  forget  Dona  Cris- 
tina  and  her  so  holy  name,  and  seemed  to  succeed 
throughout  the  day.  But  at  night  her  image 
would  not  leave  my  couch  for  a  moment;  it 
twitched  my  feet,  it  pulled  my  hair,  and  later,  to 
make  it  up  to  me  for  these  shocking  tribulations, 
it  gently  inclined  itself  towards  me  and  lightly 
touched  my  cheek  with  its  lips. 

On  awaking,  a  luminous  idea  attacked  me. 
Marti  was  to  arrive  that  day,  and  it  was  my  unavoid- 
able duty  to  go  to  meet  him  at  the  station:  first, 
for  courtesy's  sake;  second,  to  prevent  his  asking 
for  me,  and  thereby  causing  his  wife  any  agitation; 
third,  because  my  absence  would  surprise  Dona 
Amparo;  fourth,  because  it  was  necessary  not  to 
reveal  what  had  occurred;  fifth — I  do  not  know 
what  the  fifth  reason  was,  but  I  have  an  idea  that 
there  was  a  fifth  reason  and  that  it  had  something 
to  do  with  the  mad  desire  that  I  felt  to  see  Dona 
Cristina  again. 

The  mail  train  arrived  in  the  afternoon.  I  there- 
fore had  sufficient  time  to  think  over  the  bother  of 
such  a  step  and  to  change  my  purpose.  But  after 
considering  it  in  all  its  aspects  and  then  consider- 
ing it  again  and  making  infinite  efforts  for  heaven 
to  touch  my  heart,  I  still  did  not  repent,  and  my 
feet  conducted  me  to  the  station  almost  in  spite  of 
myself. 

On  reaching  the  platform  I  saw  my  ladies  talking 
85 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

with  an  employee.  Availing  myself  of  the  pro- 
digious diplomatic  aptitude  with  which  heaven  had 
been  so  good  as  to  favor  me,  I  passed  along  behind 
them  at  a  slow  pace  and  profoundly  absorbed  in 
the  contemplation  of  a  pile  of  beets. 

"  Bibot!     Eibot! " 

I  stopped,  filled  with  astonishment.  I  turned 
my  head  to  the  southeast,  then  to  the  north,  next 
to  the  northeast,  and  so  on  successively  towards 
all  the  points  of  the  compass  until,  after  many  un- 
fruitful efforts,  I  succeeded  in  locating  the  direc- 
tion from  which  the  voice  proceeded. 

"  Oh,  senoras! " 

I  approached  them,  overflowing  with  astonish- 
ment, and  seized  the  hand  of  Dona  Amparo.  I 
started  to  do  likewise  with  Cristina  and — did  I  not 
say  before  that  this  lady  was  distinguished  by  a 
white  skin?  The  statement  must  be  corrected.  At 
that  moment  she  might  have  been  born  in  Senegal. 

I  asked  for  her  health  without  venturing  to  ex- 
tend my  hand,  and  she  responded,  looking  in  an- 
other direction. 

"How  is  this,  Captain  Eibot?"  asked  Dona 
Amparo.  "  All  day  yesterday  you  did  not  come, 
or  to-day  either." 

I  excused  myself,  saying  I  had  been  occupied. 
Dona  Amparo  would  not  accept  my  explanation 
and  talked  to  me  fondly.  This  lady  showed  herself 
constantly  more  affectionate  and  amiable  towards 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

me.  While  we  were  talking,  Dona  Cristina  did  not 
open  her  lips.  I  felt  hurt  and  confused.  I  did  not 
venture  to  look  her  in  the  face,  but  observed  her 
from  the  corner  of  my  eye  and  noted  that  her  face, 
instead  of  recovering  its  ordinary  aspect,  became 
more  and  more  cloudy.  Her  eyes  persisted  in 
gazing  in  the  opposite  direction  from  where  I 
stood. 

Dona  Amparo,  not  remarking  anything,  monopo- 
lized the  conversation.  On  my  part,  I  spoke  little 
and  incoherently.  My  having  come  at  all  was 
weighing  me  down  fearfully,  and  I  had  an  impulse 
to  leave  under  some  pretext,  without  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  Marti.  But  before  I  could  make  up  my 
mind  the  station-guard  sounded  his  trumpet  an- 
nouncing the  train.  So  it  was  no  longer  possible 
to  go  without  grave  discourtesy. 

The  train  came  into  the  station,  and  among  the 
goodly  number  of  heads  that  suddenly  showed 
themselves  at  the  car  windows  the  eyes  of  Dona 
Cristina  discovered  that  of  her  husband. 

"  Emilio!  "  she  cried  joyfully. 

"  Cristina! "  he  replied  in  a  like  tone. 

And  without  waiting  for  the  train  to  come  to  a 
full  stop  he  leaped  out  and  embraced  and  kissed 
her  effusively.  But  she,  blushing  like  a  school- 
girl, and  at  the  same  time  smiling  with  pleasure, 
brusquely  freed  herself  from  his  arms. 

"Always  the  same!"  he  exclaimed,  laughing 
37 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

heartily,  as  he  extended  his  hand  to  his  mother- 
in-law. 

She,  however,  was  not  satisfied  with  his  hand  and 
seized  him  by  the  head  like  a  child  and  kissed  him 
repeatedly,  asking  with  hearty  interest  about  his 
journey  as  he  inquired  about  her  health. 

While  they  were  talking  I  maintained  a  respect- 
ful distance  from  the  group.  And  then  it  was  that 
Doiia  Cristina  turned  her  eyes  towards  me  with  a 
friendly  smile,  at  the  same  time  beckoning  me  to 
approach.  That  unexpected  smile  caused  me  such 
pleasure  and  surprise  that  I  could  scarcely  hide 
my  feelings.  I  hastened  to  obey. 

"He  saved  mamma  I"  she  said,  with  a  little 
emphasis,  presenting  me  to  her  husband. 

He  grasped  my  hands  affectionately,  expressing 
boundless  thanks.  He  was  a  man  of  twenty-eight 
or  thirty  years,  tall,  slender,  pale-faced  and  black- 
eyed,  his  beard  also  black,  silky,  and  abundant;  a 
Levantine  type,  like  his  wife — but  delicate  and 
fragile,  at  least  in  appearance. 

"  Thanks  to  his  bravery,  we  are  not  mourning  a 
misfortune  to-day,"  continued  the  lady. 

"  Senora! "  I  exclaimed,  "  the  action  was  of  no 
merit  whatever.  Any  passing  sailor  would  have 
done  the  same." 

But  she,  paying  no  attention,  went  on  to  relate 
what  happened  with  all  details,  exaggerating  my 
conduct. 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

This  panegyric  from  her  mouth,  after  what  had 
happened,  caused  me  more  shame  than  pleasure. 
I  felt  the  pangs  of  remorse,  and  what  at  first  had 
seemed  to  me  a  slight  imprudence  now  appeared 
a  lack  of  delicacy. 

Eeturning  to  the  town  I  left  them  at  the  hotel 
door,  refusing  to  stop  with  them,  in  spite  of  Marti's 
insistence.  In  these  first  moments  the  presence  of 
a  stranger  might  be  unwelcome.  But  I  agreed  to 
take  coffee  with  him  that  evening  at  the  Suizo.  I 
hoped  that  he  might  bring  his  wife,  for  she  en- 
joyed taking  a  walk  after  dinner. 

But  the  hope  was  not  realized.  Marti  came 
alone,  saying  that  his  wife  was  fatigued  and  indis- 
posed. I  thought  this  a  pretext,  and  it  made  me 
sad.  Perhaps  that  first  moment  had  exhausted  her 
effusive  gratitude,  and  distrust  and  rancor  had  re- 
turned to  her  heart. 

In  less  than  an  hour,  Marti  and  I  were  excellent 
friends.  He  struck  me  as  a  sympathetic  person,  of 
open  nature,  affectionate,  cheerful,  and  candid. 
The  hundred  affairs  that  occupied  him  did  not 
leave  him  much  time  to  give  to  any  one  thing.  In 
his  conversation  he  sped  lightly  from  one  affair  to 
another,  but  showed  himself  ever  wide-awake  and 
energetic.  I  let  him  talk,  observing  him  with  in- 
tense curiosity.  The  impression  from  that  first 
conversation  that  best  remains  with  me  was  his 
fashion  of  rumpling  his  wavy  hair,  running  his 
89 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

fingers  back  through  it  after  the  manner  of  a  comb, 
and  giving  a  little  cough  when  about  to  express 
some  idea  that  he  deemed  important.  This  man- 
nerism, which  in  another  might  perhaps  seem 
ridiculous,  had  in  him  a  gracious  effect,  boyish  and 
attractive.  I  cannot  clearly  express  the  sentiments 
that  Marti  inspired  in  me  at  that  time.  They  were 
an  indefinable  mixture  of  sympathy  and  repug- 
nance, of  curiosity  and  jealousy,  which  can  be  ac- 
counted for  only  by  one  who  has  found  himself  in 
a  situation  analogous  to  mine. 

The  Urano  was  to  weigh  anchor  the  next  day 
at  flood-tide  in  the  afternoon.  In  the  morning 
I  presented  myself  at  the  hotel  to  take  leave  of  my 
new  friends.  Marti  and  his  mother-in-law  warmly 
expressed  their  regret  at  my  departure.  Cristina 
did  not  make  her  appearance.  She  was  shut  in  her 
chamber  at  her  toilet,  as  I  understood,  and  had  not 
the  kindness  to  have  me  asked  to  wait;  on  the  con- 
trary, she  dismissed  me  so  abruptly  that  she  seemed 
to  fear  I  might. 

"  Adios,  Captain  Ribot!  "  she  called  from  within. 
"  Pardon  me  for  not  coming  out;  it  is  impossible  at 
this  moment.  May  you  have  a  most  happy  voyage; 
and  again  you  have  a  million  thanks  from  me.  We 
can  never  forget  what  you  have  done.  A  pleasant 
trip! " 

Marti  urged  me  to  breakfast  with  them,  but  I 
had  much  to  do  and  declined.  Moreover,  I  must 
40 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

confess  I  felt  so  melancholy  that  I  wanted  to  get 
into  the  street.  He,  as  well  as  Dona  Amparo,  of- 
fered me  a  thousand  inducements  to  run  down  to 
Valencia  on  my  return  to  Barcelona,  where  the 
steamer  always  stayed  for  eight  or  ten  days.  He, 
as  well  as  his  wife,  would  take  great  pleasure  in 
entertaining  me  at  their  home.  I  was  obliged  to 
promise  to  do  so,  but  with  the  definite  intention  of 
not  complying. 

It  was  always  difficult  to  get  away  from  the  ship; 
and  the  coldness  of  Dona  Cristina  gave  me  no  en- 
couragement to  make  such  a  visit. 

In  the  afternoon  Marti  came  on  board  to  press 
my  hand  once  more  before  my  departure.  He 
again  urged  me  cordially  not  to  fail  to  make  them 
a  visit.  Again  I  made  the  promise,  with  the  men- 
tal reservation  already  mentioned.  We  finally 
bade  each  other  a  most  affectionate  farewell  and  I 
put  to  sea,  continuing  my  voyage  to  Hamburg. 


41 


CHAPTER   IV. 

T  until  I  found  myself  on  the  bridge  of  my 
steamer,  between  the  sky  and  the  sea,  could 
I  take  account  of  the  impression  that  the  wife  of 
Marti  had  made  upon  me.  How  many  hours  I  have 
passed  that  way,  in  the  solitude  of  the  ocean,  given 
over  to  my  thoughts!  Seldom  have  they  been  sad. 
My  life,  after  the  profound  grief  caused  by  the 
death  of  my  fiancee,  of  which  I  have  spoken,  has 
generally  had  a  tranquil,  if  not  happy,  course. 

I  was  born  in  Alicante,  my  father  a  seafarer. 
In  my  school  days  I  showed  a  fondness  for  study. 
My  father  would  have  desired  me  to  become  a 
lawyer  or  a  physician;  anything  rather  than  a 
sailor.  But  I  found  such  careers  prosaic,  and  im- 
pelled by  the  romanticism  natural  to  youth,  and  to 
my  somewhat  dreamy  and  fanciful  temperament, 
I  preferred  that  calling.  My  father  agreed  to  this 
with  apparent  reluctance,  but  was,  perhaps,  pleased 
in  reality  by  the  appreciation  that  I  showed  for 
his  own  profession.  I  soon  learned  navigation, 
and  made  two  voyages  to  Cuba.  But  my  only  sister 
having  died  and  my  mother  feeling  rather  lonely, 
I  felt  obliged  to  stay  at  home  and  lead  the  life  of 
42 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

a  young  gentleman  of  leisure.  Nobody  was  sur- 
prised at  this.  As  my  father  was  said  to  have 
amassed  a  reasonable  fortune,  I  was  to  a  good  de- 
gree exempt  from  the  hard  law  of  toil. 

A  few  years  later  I  fell  in  love.  My  marriage 
was  arranged  and  would  have  taken  place  had  not 
Matilde,  as  she  was  named,  been  taken  ill.  Her 
recovery  was  hoped  for,  but  hoping  and  hoping, 
the  good  and  beautiful  girl  passed  from  life.  My 
grief  was  so  intense  that  my  health  and  even  my 
reason  were  threatened.  My  parents  could  find 
no  more  adequate  remedy  than  to  send  me  to  sea 
again.  I  agreed  with  indifference.  Now  I  went 
as  second  officer  in  a  steamer  of  the  same  company 
in  which  my  father  was  employed.  After  a  few 
months  my  father  was  crippled  by  rheumatism,  and 
while  he  was  undergoing  treatment  the  owners 
placed  me  temporarily  in  command  of  the 
Urano.  Unfortunately  he  could  not  resume  his 
place;  after  dragging  out  a  painful  existence  for 
some  time  he  died.  My  mother  would  have  liked 
me  to  forsake  the  sea  and  again  live  leisurely  at 
home  with  her;  but  I  had  grown  so  accustomed  to 
the  sea,  to  the  varied  and  active  existence  of  the 
navigator,  to-day  in  one  port,  to-morrow  in  an- 
other, that  I  could  not  be  persuaded  to  forsake 
it.  On  board  of  my  steamer,  therefore,  to  which 
I  had  become  greatly  attached,  I  reached  my 
thirty-sixth  birthday.  My  mother  died,  and  a 
43 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

little  later  the  incident  took  place  that  I  have  just 
related. 

I  have  said  that  when  alone  with  my  thoughts  I 
comprehended  that  Dona  Cristina  had  taken  too 
much  possession  of  them.  Her  image  floated  be- 
fore me  like  a  dream.  That  look,  now  grave,  now 
roguish,  of  her  black  eyes;  that  impressionable 
shyness,  her  blushing  like  a  schoolgirl  in  contrast 
with  her  gracious  self-possession;  then  her  facile 
forgiveness,  and  the  repressed  tenderness  that  she 
showed  for  her  husband — all  tended  to  idealize  her. 
But  more  than  anything,  I  confess,  my  own  tem- 
perament contributed  to  this,  and  the  solitude  in 
which  the  mariner  passes  most  of  his  time.  After 
the  death  of  Matilde  no  true  love  had  ever  occupied 
my  heart  again.  Idle  affairs,  adventures  for  a  few 
days,  amused  me  along  various  degrees  of  the  scale. 
And  so  I  had  come  to  see  the  first  gray  threads  in 
my  beard  and  hair.  But  my  romantic  nature,  al- 
though dormant  in  the  depths  of  my  heart,  was 
by  no  means  dead.  The  adventures  in  folly,  the 
coarse  pleasures  of  the  seaports,  far  from  choking 
that  tendency,  encouraged  its  revival.  I  never  felt 
more  thoughtful  and  melancholy  than  after  one 
of  those  affairs.  To  recover  my  equilibrium,  I 
would  stretch  out  under  the  awning  with  a  book 
in  my  hands;  filling  my  lungs  with  the  pure  sea  air 
and  opening  my  soul  to  the  ideas  of  the  great  poets 
and  philosophers,  peace  and  joy  would  return. 
44 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Eeading  has  always  been  the  supreme  resource 
of  my  life,  the  most  efficacious  balm  for  its  trou- 
bles. 

The  adventure  with  Dona  Cristina  transported 
me  to  complete  ideality,  and  I  breathed  the  atmos- 
phere wherein  I  found  myself  most  sane  and  happy. 
So  I  occupied  myself  with  pleasurable  thoughts 
about  her,  without  considering  that  unhappy  con- 
sequences might  follow.  Many  a  time,  when  a 
pretty  young  woman  had  crossed  my  path  in  port, 
I  would  afterwards  tenaciously  hold  her  image  in 
my  mind's  eye.  Again,  in  the  solitude  of  the  sea, 
fancy  would  evoke  her,  I  would  imagine  her  in 
diverse  situations,  I  would  make  her  talk  and  laugh, 
I  would  make  her  grow  angry  and  weep,  and  would 
endow  her  with  a  thousand  charming  qualities. 
And  in  the  companionship  of  this  phantasm  I 
would  pass  happy  days,  until  on  arrival  in  port  it 
would  dissolve  or  be  replaced  by  another. 

So  now  I  attempted  to  do  the  same.  But  I  could 
not  succeed,  even  partially.  Dona  Cristina  had  not 
fleetingly  passed  me  by  like  many  other  handsome 
women.  The  impression  that  she  had  left  with 
me  was  much  deeper;  she  had  stirred  nearly  every 
fibre  of  my  being.  Instead  of  representing  her  as 
I  chose,  I  saw  her  as  she  had  appeared  in  reality. 
And  again  I  felt  the  shame  and  the  sadness  that  she 
had  made  me  experience.  On  the  other  hand,  her 
condition  as  a  married  woman  deprived  my  dreams 
45 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

of  the  innocence  that  they  had  had  on  former  occa- 
sions; it  tinged  them  with  a  sombre  shade  that  was 
little  pleasing  to  my  conscience. 

I  therefore  determined  to  clear  my  mind  of  these 
thoughts.  I  sought  to  distract  myself  from  such 
imaginings,  to  forget  the  beautiful  Valenciana,  and 
recover  my  peace.  Thanks  to  my  efforts,  and  even 
more  to  my  prosaic  occupations,  I  succeeded.  But 
on  skirting  the  eastern  coast  on  my  return  trip 
from  Hamburg,  when  I  doubled  the  cape  of  San 
Antonio  and  there  spread  before  my  view  the  in- 
comparably lovely  plain  that  holds  Valencia  and 
surrounds  it  with  its  garden  of  eternal  verdure  like 
a  brooch  of  emerald,  the  image  of  Dona  Cristina 
appeared  to  me  in  form  more  ideal,  more  seductive 
than  ever;  it  took  possession  of  my  imagination 
never  to  leave  it  again. 

I  do  not  know  how  it  was,  but  the  day  after  ar- 
riving at  Barcelona  I  hastily  adjusted  the  most  im- 
portant matters,  left  the  ship  in  charge  of  the  first 
officer,  and  took  the  train  for  Valencia.  I  arrived 
at  dusk,  went  to  a  good  hotel,  dined,  changed  my 
clothes,  and  made  the  most  careful  toilette  I  had 
ever  made  in  my  life.  Then  I  went  out  to  look  up 
the  house  of  Marti. 

Not  until  then- did  I  take  account  of  the  folly  I 

had  committed.     I  well  knew  that  Marti  would 

receive  me  with  open  arms,  and  would  be  delighted 

at  my  visit.     But  what  would  his  wife  think  of  it? 

46 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Would  she  not  suspect  that  its  motive  was  an  in- 
terested one,  and  put  herself  on  her  guard?  The 
idea  that  she  might  think  that  I  sought  payment 
in  annoying  gallantry  for  my  service  at  Gijon 
was  abhorrent.  I  was  tempted  to  return  to  the 
hotel,  go  to  bed,  and  leave  the  next  day  without 
letting  anybody  know  that  I  was  in  Valencia. 
Nevertheless,  an  irresistible  impulse  pressed  me  to 
see  her  again.  An  instant,  only  for  an  instant,  to 
engrave  her  image  most  profoundly  in  my  soul  and 
then  to  go  away  and  dream  of  it  through  all  my 
life! 

Walking  slowly  I  came  to  the  Plaza  de  la  Eeina, 
the  most  central  and  lively  place  in  the  city.  The 
night  was  serene,  the  air  warm,  the  balconies  were 
open;  before  the  cafes  people  were  sitting  outdoors. 
And  to  think  that  there  in  Hamburg  I  had  left  the 
poor  Germans  shivering  with  cold!  I  took  a  seat 
under  the  awning  of  the  Cafe  del  Siglo,  as  much 
for  the  sake  of  calming  myself  as  to  wait  until  they 
had  finished  supper  at  the  house  of  Marti.  When 
I  thought  it  was  time,  I  entered  the  Calle  del 
Mar,  which  was  near  by.  I  followed  its  course, 
agitated  and  joyous,  and  stopped  before  the  num- 
ber that  Marti  had  indicated.  It  was  one  of  the 
most  sumptuous  houses  of  the  street,  elegant,  of 
modern  construction,  with  a  high  principal  story, 
crowned  by  a  handsome  upper  story.  The  great 
portal  was  adorned  by  statues  and  plants  and  il- 
47 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

luminated  by  two  clusters  of  gaslights.  One  of 
the  windows  was  open  and  at  that  moment  there 
escaped  the  lively  notes  of  a  piano.  "  Is  it  she  who 
is  playing?"  I  asked  myself  with  emotion.  I  en- 
joyed the  music  for  a  moment,  and  at  last  ap- 
proached the  door.  The  porter  called  a  servant, 
whom  I  told  that  I  wished  to  see  his  master  on 
urgent  business.  I  was  shown  into  the  office. 
Marti  appeared  without  delay.  What  a  cry  of  sur- 
prise! what  a  cordial  embrace  he  gave  me!  Then 
taking  me  through  a  corridor,  speaking  to  me 
meanwhile  in  a  whisper  that  his  wife  might  not 
fail  to  be  surprised,  he  ushered  me  into  a  room  full 
of  people. 

"  Cristina,  here  comes  the  bad  man!  " 

She  was  at  the  piano.  At  the  sound  of  her  hus- 
band's voice  she  turned  her  head;  her  eyes  met 
mine.  She  instantly  turned  them  away  and  back 
to  the  piano  just  as  quickly,  as  if  she  had  seen  some- 
thing sad  or  alarming.  But  controlling  herself 
almost  in  the  same  moment,  she  rose,  and,  advanc- 
ing towards  me  with  a  forced  smile,  she  extended 
her  hand. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Captain  Ribot.  We 
are  immensely  pleased  to  have  you  visit  us." 

I  felt  my  heart  constricted,  and  I  could  not  help 
responding  with  a  certain  carelessness: 

"  There  is  no  occasion  for  such  feeling.  It  is 
entirely  casual.  I  had  some  business  to  look  after 
48 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

in  Valencia  and  on  that  account  you   see  me 
here." 

Marti  embraced  me  anew. 

"  I  am  enchanted  with  the  rude  frankness  of  you 
sailors!  That  is  just  the  way  to  speak!  Away 
with  these  conventional  lies  that  deceive  nobody 
and  simply  serve  to  show  what  actors  we  are.  The 
main  thing  is  that  we  have  you  here  and  that  your 
visit  gives  us  genuine  pleasure." 

Then  turning  to  the  company  he  added,  not 
without  a  certain  emphasis: 

"  Senores,  I  present  you  to  the  captain  of  the 
Urano.  I  have  nothing  more  to  say." 

An  extraordinarily  lean  young  man  approached 
to  give  me  his  hand.  His  skin  was  rough  and 
weather-marked,  as  if  he  had  come  from  long  and 
painful  labors  in  the  sun.  He  was  prematurely 
bald,  and  from  his  mouth  there  depended  an  enor- 
mous pipe  stuffed  with  tobacco.  He  was  dressed 
with  elegance,  though  a  little  carelessly. 

"  My  brother-in-law,  Sabas." 

He  was  followed  by  a  person  of  about  the  age  of 
Marti,  more  or  less,  tall  rather  than  short,  blonde, 
his  mustache  small  and  silky,  his  skin  flaccid,  most 
carefully  shaven.  He  was  likewise  fashionably 
dressed,  and  with  a  care  that  contrasted  with  the 
negligence  of  the  other. 

"  My  intimate  friend  and  partner,  Don  Enrique 
Castell." 

4  49 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

These  were  the  only  men  present.  I  was  next 
taken  before  Dona  Amparo,  who  was  working  at 
her  crochet,  seated  in  a  crimson-velvet  chair;  I 
was  then  presented  to  the  wife  of  his  brother-in- 
law,  a  plump  little  woman,  round-faced,  blonde, 
and  blue-eyed,  sitting  on  a  divan  and  at  work  with 
an  embroidery  frame  on  her  lap.  Beside  her  was 
a  young  girl  of  seventeen  years  whose  face  of  ad- 
mirable correctness,  soft  and  ivory-like,  had  the 
same  expression  of  timid  innocence  as  the  virgins 
of  Murillo.  She  was  the  daughter  of  a  white- 
haired  lady  with  an  aquiline  nose  and  severe  and 
imposing  physiognomy,  seated  beside  a  gilded  table 
with  a  newspaper  in  her  hands.  Marti  presented 
me  to  her  as  his  Aunt  Clara,  a  cousin  of  his  mother- 
in-law. 

The  entire  company  welcomed  me  most  kindly, 
particularly  Dona  Amparo,  who  with  tearful  eyes 
seized  both  my  hands,  retaining  them  until  the 
excess  of  her  emotion  obliged  her  to  drop  them  in 
order  to  raise  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes.  The 
conversation  first  turned  upon  the  mishap  of  that 
lady.  My  conduct  was  eulogized  to  a  degree  that 
put  me  to  shame  and  made  me  uneasy,  and  they 
discussed  the  causes  of  the  accident.  The  brother- 
in-law  of  Marti,  with  voice  cavernous  and  husky, 
perhaps  from  abuse  of  tobacco,  bitterly  censured  the 
conduct  of  the  authorities  of  Gijon  for  not  having 
properly  lighted  the  wharf.  I  replied  that  almost 
60 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

all  wharves  were  lighted  in  the  same  way,  since  they 
were  not  intended  for  purposes  of  public  pleasure 
but  for  the  loading  and  unloading  of  merchandise. 
He  insisted  upon  his  position,  showing  that  in  all 
maritime  cities  the  wharves  are  places  of  recrea- 
tion. I  replied  that  in  that  case  people  must 
look  out  for  themselves.  Marti  cut  short  the  dis- 
pute by  asking  me  to  what  hotel  I  had  gone,  that 
he  might  send  for  my  luggage.  In  vain  I  opposed 
his  doing  so.  Seeing  that  he  felt  hurt  by  my  re- 
fusal I  gave  way  at  last,  all  the  more  since  the  en- 
tire family  joined  in  urging  me. 

In  the  meantime  Cristina  played  the  piano  with 
careless  fingers,  talking  all  the  while  with  her  sister- 
in-law.  She  was  elegantly  dressed  in  a  loose  crim- 
son gown  beneath  whose  folds  were  revealed  the 
lines  of  coming  maternity.  Whenever  I  could  I 
gazed  at  her  with  intense  attention.  And  when 
she  observed  it  she  seemed  restless  and  nervous, 
and  took  pains  that  her  eyes  should  not  meet  mine. 
Marti  went  out  to  give  some  orders  about  my  cham- 
ber. His  friend  and  partner,  who  had  kept  silent, 
reclining  negligently  in  an  easy-chair  with  legs 
crossed,  began  to  ask  me  various  questions  about 
my  voyages,  the  fleet  of  steamers,  the  ports  where 
we  touched,  and  everything  relating  to  the  com- 
merce in  which  the  ships  of  our  line  were  engaged. 
The  talk  acquired  the  character  of  an  examination, 
for  Castell  showed  that  he  knew  as  much  as  I  did, 
61 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

or  more,  about  such  things.  He  had  travelled 
much,  knew  two  or  three  languages  perfectly,  and 
on  his  travels  had  not  only  gained  knowledge  useful 
in  commercial  affairs  but  a  multitude  of  ethno- 
graphic, historical,  and  artistic  facts  that  I  was  far 
from  possessing.  He  was  a  really  accomplished 
man,  but  I  could  not  help  noting  that  he  was  fond 
of  exhibiting  his  learning,  that  he  carefully 
rounded  his  periods  in  his  talk  and  listened  to 
himself,  and  that,  without  lacking  in  courtesy, 
he  did  not  conceal  his  slight  appreciation  of  the 
opinions  of  others.  On  the  whole  the  man  .was 
not  congenial  to  me,  although  I  recognized  his 
excellent  qualities.  He  had  a  voice  clear  and 
mellow  like  a  preacher,  with  grave  and  noble 
gestures  that  enabled  him  to  display  his  hand, 
which  was  short  and  beautiful,  and  ornamented 
with  rings. 

Marti  returned,  and  his  Aunt  Clara,  without 
giving  up  her  newspaper,  questioned  him. 

"How  is  it  with  olives,  now,  Emilio?  Have 
they  not  risen  twenty  centimos  this  week  ?  " 

"  Yes,  aunt,  I  am  informed  that  they  have  risen 
and  will  rise  still  further." 

"It  couldn't  be  otherwise,"  she  exclaimed  in 
triumphant  tones.  "  I  told  Ketamoso  so  last  month, 
and  he  paid  no  attention  to  me.  He  is  obstinate, 
like  a  good  Galician,  and  so  short-sighted  in  busi- 
ness that  he  can  scarcely  see  the  length  of  his  nose. 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

If  it  weren't  for  me,  I  believe  that  he  would  soon 
go  into  bankruptcy." 

The  voice  of  the  lady  was  vibrant  and  powerful; 
her  sculptural  head  raised  itself  so  proudly  when 
she  spoke,  her  aquiline  nose  was  held  so  high,  and 
her  eyes  flashed  so  imposingly  that  in  her  presence 
one  might  fancy  himself  transported  to  the  heroic 
age  of  the  Eoman  republic.  Cornelia,  the  mother 
of  the  Gracchi,  could  not  have  been  more  severe 
and  majestic. 

Marti  coughed,  to  avoid  replying,  desiring 
neither  to  contradict  his  aunt  nor  to  offend  his 
uncle. 

"  And  what  do  you  say  to  the  fall  in  cocoa?  "  she 
continued,  with  the  heroic  accent  that  might  be 
employed  in  asking  a  consul  about  a  legion  sur- 
prised and  overwhelmed  by  the  Gauls. 

Marti  contented  himself  with  shrugging  his 
shoulders. 

"Yet  he  had  the  assurance  to  deny  that  it  is 
anything  serious,"  she  continued  with  increasing 
scorn.  "  It  could  only  be  hid  from  a  man  of  the 
narrowest,  most  limited  judgment,  altogether  un- 
adapted  to  ventures  in  the  wholesale  trade.  When 
I  saw  the  Ibarra  steamers  arriving,  loaded  with 
Guayaquil,  I  said  to  myself,  'Yes,  indeed,  this 
staple  is  bound  to  fall.' ': 

"  Uncle  Diego  knows  how  to  tell  where  the  shoe 
pinches,  all  the  same,"  Marti  ventured  to  remark. 
58 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Yes,  indeed!  Behind  a  counter,  selling  cheese 
and  codfish  by  the  quarter  pound,  he  would  be  in- 
valuable. But  as  a  man  of  business  he  is  a  good- 
for-nothing;  it  is  only  because  I  have  taken  the 
trouble  to  think  for  the  two  of  us  that  we  have  been 
able  to  get  where  we  are." 

At  this  moment  there  appeared  in  the  doorway 
a  short  stout  man,  of  a  pale  complexion,  bald,  with 
small  eyes,  who  greeted  those  present  with  a  pro- 
nounced Galician  accent. 

"  Good  evening!     How  do  you  do?  " 

"  Hola!  Uncle  Diego!  How  do  you  do,  Reta- 
moso?" 

Dona  Clara,  caught  in  the  act,  turned  her  eyes 
again  to  her  periodical,  without  abating  an  atom 
of  her  dignity. 

Her  husband,  who,  so  far  as  could  be  seen,  had 
heard  nothing,  shook  hands  with  those  about  him, 
kissed  his  daughter,  and  coming  over  to  his  wife, 
said  to  her  in  affectionate  tones: 

"  Don't  read  at  night,  wife!  Now,  you  know 
you  are  trying  your  eyes." 

Dona  Clara  took  no  notice.  Retamoso,  turning 
to  the  others,  declared  with  profound  conviction: 

"  She  never  can  be  idle.  Isabelita,  my  daughter, 
entreat  your  mamma  not  to  read!  Now,  you  know 
that  she  does  too  much.  When  she  is  not  reading, 
she  is  casting  up  accounts;  when  not  casting  up 
accounts,  she  goes  down  to  the  warehouse  to  make 
64 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

out  bills;  when  not  making  out  bills,  she  writes 
letters;  when  not  writing  letters,  she  speaks  Eng- 
lish with  the  Ricartes's  governess.  Hers  is  a  won- 
derful head!  I  don't  understand  how  she  is  able 
to  do  so  many  things  in  turn,  without  being  either 
disturbed  or  fatigued." 

I  owe  it  to  Dona  Clara  to  say  that  she  seemed 
suspicious  of  this  panegyric,  for  instead  of  ac- 
knowledging it  and  showing  herself  gratified  by  it, 
she  made  the  gesture  of  an  offended  queen. 

"  I  do  not  disturb  myself  for  such  little  things, 
dear,  because  I  have  trained  myself  in  a  manner 
different  from  the  women  of  your  province.  If 
there  they  still  go  on  spinning  by  the  fireside,  in 
the  rest  of  the  world  they  hold  a  more  brilliant 
position.  Here  is  a  sailor,"  she  added,  indicating 
me,  "who  has  travelled  much,  and  can  confirm 
this." 

I  bowed  and  murmured  some  courteous  phrases. 

"Well,  all  this  does  not  hinder  my  admiring 
your  ability,"  went  on  Retamoso  in  a  tone  of  ex- 
aggerated adulation.  "  Does  not  all  the  world  know 
it  in  Valencia?  Am  I  to  be  the  only  one  who 
does  not,  or  pretends  not  to  know  it?  How  many 
women  might  be  educated  like  you,  and  yet  not 
have  the  capacity  to  accomplish  in  a  month  what 
you  do  in  a  day! " 

"  Tell  me,  Ribot,"  queried  Dona  Clara,  address- 
ing me  as  if  she  had  not  heard  her  husband,  who 
55 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

went  on  murmuring  flattering  phrases,  opening  his 
eyes  wide  and  arching  his  eyebrows  to  express  the 
admiration  which  possessed  him,  "  among  all  the 
many  ports  that  you  have  visited,  have  you  not 
met  women  with  as  much  business  faculty  as  men, 
or  more?  " 

"  I  have  known  some  women  at  the  head  of 
powerful  commercial  houses,  directing  with  much 
wisdom,  carrying  on  correspondences  in  several 
languages,  and  keeping  their  books  with  perfect 
exactitude.  But — I  confess  freely  that  a  woman 
engaging  in  industrial  speculations,  or  inclined 
to  politics  or  business,  appears  to  me  like  a  princess 
with  a  taste  for  selling  matches  and  newspapers 
in  the  streets." 

"  What's  this!  "  exclaimed  Dona  Clara,  throwing 
up  her  Roman  head.  "  Then  you  believe  that  the 
position  of  woman  is  nothing  more  than  that  of  a 
domestic  animal,  caressed  or  beaten  by  man,  ac- 
cording to  his  caprice?  Woman  should,  in  this 
view,  remain  always  in  complete  ignorance,  without 
studying,  without  instruction! " 

"  Let  her  be  instructed  as  much  as  she  likes,"  I 
replied,  "  but  in  my  notion  woman  has  no  need  of 
learning  anything,  because  she  knows  every- 
thing  » 

"  Just  so! "  interrupted  Retamoso  with  enthusi- 
asm. "  That  has  always  been  my  opinion.  Isa- 
belita,"  he  went  on,  turning  to  his  daughter,  "  have 
56 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

I  not  said  to  you  a  thousand  times  that  your 
mamma  knows  everything  before  having  to  learn 
it?" 

I  saw  a  smile  flit  over  Marti's  lips.  Cristina 
rose  from  the  piano  where  she  had  been  sitting  and 
went  out  of  the  room. 

"  I  do  not  understand  what  you  wish  to  say/'  de- 
clared Dona  Clara,  with  a  certain  acerbity. 

"Women  who  know  how  to  make  us  happy, 
make  happiness  for  themselves  also.  What  other 
knowledge  can  equal  this  upon  the  earth?  The 
toils  of  men,  the  callings  conquered  by  civilization, 
go  to  achieve  slowly  and  painfully  what  woman 
performs  at  once  and  without  endeavor,  making 
life  more  supportable,  and  alleviating  its  woes. 
Being,  as  she  is,  the  repository  of  charity  and  of 
the  gentle  and  beneficent  sentiments,  she  guards 
in  her  heart  the  secret  of  the  destiny  of  humanity, 
and  transmits  it  by  heredity  and  education  to  her 
sons,  contributing  to  progress  in  this  way  more 
truly  than  ourselves." 

"  That  is  more  gallant  than  exact,"  interrupted 
Castell,  impertinently.  "  Woman  is  not  the  re- 
pository of  progress,  and  has  contributed  nothing 
to  it.  You  may  study  the  history  of  the  arts,  the 
sciences,  and  the  industries,  and  you  will  not  find 
a  single  useful  discovery  that  we  owe  to  the  genius 
or  the  industry  of  a  woman.  This  demonstrates 
clearly  that  her  mind  is  incapable  of  elevation  to 
57 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

the  sphere  wherein  move  the  high  interests  of  civ- 
ilization. Woman  is  not  the  repository  of  progress. 
She  is  solely  the  repository  of  being;  and  as  this 
is  the  case,  two  things  only  ought  to  be  demanded 
of  her,  health  and  beauty." 

"  You  would  be  right,"  I  replied,  "  if  the  unique 
phase  of  progress  lay  in  useful  discoveries.  But 
there  are  others;  and,  as  I  understand  them,  more 
important  ones — the  brotherhood  of  man,  the 
moral  law.  This  is  the  true  goal  of  the  world." 

Castell  smiled,  and,  without  looking  at  me,  said 
in  a  low  voice: 

"  For  all  that,  I  believe  that  I  could  name  about 
fifty-seven  other  goals,  if  I  know  the  world." 

And  lifting  his  voice  he  added:  "  I  have  dis- 
cussed life  with  many  men,  and  I  can  declare  that 
scarcely  one  has  failed  to  assign  his  own  especial 
goal  to  the  world.  Among  clergymen  it  is  the 
triumph  of  the  Church;  among  democrats,  political 
liberty;  among  musicians,  music;  and  among 
dancers,  the  dance.  And  yet  the  poor  world  con- 
tents itself  with  existing,  laughing  once  in  a  while 
at  so  much  folly,  and  trampling  everybody  under 
foot  as  it  goes  its  way." 

He  paused  and  settled  himself  more  comfortably 
in  his  arm-chair.  I  felt  annoyed  at  those  words, 
and  especially  at  the  scornful  tone  in  which  they 
were  uttered.  I  was  going  to  reply  with  energy, 
but  Castell  continued  his  discourse,  tranquilly  ex- 
58 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

pounding  his  thoughts  in  a  series  of  reasonings 
held  together  with  logic,  and  expressed  in  elegant 
and  precise  fashion.  I  could  not  help  admiring 
the  varied  qualities  of  his  erudition,  his  penetra- 
tive talent,  and,  above  all,  the  clarity  and  grace 
of  his  choice  of  words.  Like  submissive  slaves,  all 
of  those  in  the  dictionary  came  trooping  to  his 
tongue's  end,  to  express  his  thoughts  easily  and 
harmoniously. 

His  theories  seemed  strange  and  sad  to  me.  The 
world  bears  it  goal  in  its  own  existence.  Morality 
is  the  result  of  especial  conditions  that  life  has  un- 
folded for  itself  upon  our  planet.  If  the  human 
race  had  been  produced  under  conditions  of  life 
like  those  of  the  bees,  it  would  be  a  duty  for  un- 
married women  to  deal  out  death  to  their  brothers, 
as  the  workers  do.  All  manifestations  of  life,  even 
to  the  highest,  are  ruled  by  instinct.  The  virtuous 
man,  like  the  degenerate,  is  moved  by  an  irresistible 
impluse  of  his  nature.  Morality,  which  the  reli- 
gious man  admires  as  a  divine  revelation,  is  nothing 
more  than  an  invention  destined  to  satisfy  this  or 
that  instinct. 

I  really  found  myself  without  enough  courage 
to  contradict  successfully  his  audacious  assertions. 
My  reading  was  wide,  but  desultory,  as  I  had  read 
more  for  entertainment  than  for  instruction. 

Then,  too,  I  had  never  cultivated  expression; 
because  my  profession  did  not  require  it,  and  I 
59 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

wrestled  with  great  difficulties  whenever  I  tried  to 
express  my  thoughts. 

Marti  came  to  my  aid,  cutting  off  the  discussion 
in  a  jocular  fashion. 

"  Do  you  know  what  is  the  destiny  of  woman 
according  to  my  brother-in-law,  Sabas?  " 

All  looked  up,  including  the  one  spoken  of. 

"  Sewing  on  buttons." 

"  I  don't  see  why  you  say  that,"  muttered  Sabas, 
ill-humoredly,  taking  his  pipe  in  his  hand. 

"  Why  shouldn't  I  say  it?  There  isn't  a  man  in 
the  Peninsula  who  has  lost  more  buttons  than 
you!  Yet  I  could  not  mention  one  of  having  gone 
to  your  house  and  not  finding  Matilde  sewing  on 
some." 

Sabas  muttered  some  unintelligible  words. 

"What  does  she  say?"  asked  Marti. 

"Yes,  he  loses  enough!"  said  the  plump  lady, 
laughing. 

But  her  husband,  coloring,  gave  Marti  a  severe 
glance. 

"  If  he  loses  as  many  as  there  are  in  the  world," 
interrupted  Dona  Amparo,  from  her  little  red-satin 
elbow-chair,  "  buttons  are  not  everlasting,  and  I 
believe  that  my  son  would  rather  go  like  Adam 
than  trouble  others  to  sew  on  his  buttons!  " 

She  spoke  these  words  with  emotion  as  if  they 
were  accusing  her  son  of  a  fault. 

"  Although  he  loses  more  than  there  are  in  the 
60 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

world,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  importance,  and  not 
worth  while  for  you  to  put  yourself  out  about,  or  be 
vexed  with  us,"  replied  Marti. 

"  I  am  put  out  about  it  because  it  seems  to  me 
that  everybody  has  a  desire  to  find  fault  with  my 
son.  The  poor  fellow  is  always  in  disgrace.  But 
until  the  day  he  dies  his  mother  will  always  defend 
him! » 

She  uttered  these  words  with  even  more  emotion. 
I  saw  with  astonishment  that  she  was  preparing  to 
weep. 

"  But,  mamma!  "  exclaimed  her  son-in-law. 

"  But,  mamma! "  exclaimed  her  daughter-in- 
law. 

Both  of  them  appeared  contrite  and  con- 
cerned. 

"  Such  is  my  maternal  passion,  my  children! " 
went  on  Dona  Amparo,  struggling  not  to  weep. 
"I  cannot  help  it!  We  all  have  faults  in  this 
world,  but  a  mother  is  not  able  to  endure  those  of 
her  children.  I  suffer  horribly  when  anyone 
points  them  out  to  me,  and  much  more  when  it 
is  a  member  of  the  family.  Some  such  sad  ideas 
come  into  my  head!  It  seems  to  me  that  you  do 
not  care  for —  I  believe  that  I  could  die  con- 
tent if  I  knew  that  you  cared  as  much  for  one 
another  as  I  care  for  you." 

Excess  of  emotion  prevented  her  from  saying 
more.  She  let  her  needlework  fall  upon  her  lap, 
61 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

leaned  her  forehead  upon  her  hand,  and  seemed 
half  ready  to  faint  away. 

Her  daughter-in-law  hurried  to  bring  her  flask 
of  salts,  and  she  began  to  smell  it.  Marti  also 
assisted,  with  filial  solicitude.  Both  showered  a 
thousand  affectionate  attentions  upon  her,  soothing 
her  and  making  excuses.  Thanks  more  to  their 
tender  words,  I  think,  than  to  the  salts,  the  sensi- 
tive mother  recovered  her  faculties.  When  these 
were  restored,  she  tenderly  kissed  her  daughter-in- 
law's  brow  and  seized  Marti's  hand,  begging  pardon 
for  having  offended  them. 

As  I  already  knew  a  little  of  the  character  and 
whims  of  Dona  Amparo,  I  was  not  surprised  that 
Retamoso  and  his  wife,  Isabelita  and  Castell,  paid 
scarcely  any  attention  to  this  incident,  and  went 
on  talking  among  themselves  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  Sabas,  the  cause  of  the  disquiet,  tran- 
quilly smoked  his  pipe. 

As  soon  as  he  had  calmed  his  mother-in-law, 
Marti  invited  me  to  come  with  him  that  he  might 
show  me  the  room  intended  for  me.  It  was  lux- 
urious and  elegant,  exceedingly  luxurious  it  seemed 
to  me  who  had  passed  my  life  in  the  narrow  con- 
fines of  a  ship's  cabin,  or  in  our  modest  dwelling 
at  Alicante.  When  we  reached  this  room,  a  maid 
was  making  ready  my  bed  under  the  senora's  in- 
spection. As  we  entered  unheard  she  was  herself 
smoothing  the  sheets  with  her  delicate  hands.  Our 
62 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

footsteps  made  her  lift  her  head,  and  as  if  she  had 
been  caught  doing  something  wrong,  she  seemed 
annoyed,  relinquished  her  task,  and  said  to  the 
maid  with  an  ill-tempered  accent: 

"  Well,  you  may  go  on  with  this,  and  see  if  you 
can  finish  it  quickly." 

She  was  going  out,  but  her  husband  detained  her, 
taking  her  hand. 

"  Have  orders  been  given  for  bringing  up  cold 
coffee  and  cognac?  " 

"Yes,  yes;  Eegina  will  stay  and  see  to  every- 
thing,"  she  replied  with  some  impatience,  drawing 
away  her  hand  and  walking  out. 

I  enjoyed  her  embarrassment  with  ill-concealed 
delight.  As  we  went  out  again  into  the  corridor 
I  said  to  Marti,  to  make  talk,  and  also  out  of 
curiosity: 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  Dona  Amparo  was  a  good 
deal  upset." 

"  You  saw  that!  "  he  exclaimed,  laughing  in  the 
frank  and  cordial  manner  that  characterized  him. 
"  The  least  thing  upsets  her.  The  poor  thing  is 
so  good!  I  am  as  fond  of  her  as  if  she  were  my  own 
mother.  Her  one  desire  is  for  us  to  love  her. 
She  is  so  sensitive  that  the  least  little  sign  of  in- 
difference, the  smallest  neglect,  affects  her  deeply, 
and  almost  makes  her  ill.  For  that  matter,  al- 
though we  all  go  on  carefully,  and  are  very  atten- 
tive to  her,  it  is  not  enough.  Fancy  this!  I  have 
63 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

taken  up  the  custom  of  kissing  her  good-night 
before  going  to  bed!  If  by  bad  luck  I  forget  it 
for  one  day,  the  poor  lady  cannot  sleep,  think- 
ing that  I  am  vexed  with  her,  wondering  if  she 
has  offended  me  without  knowing  it;  and  next  day 
she  casts  timid,  anguished  glances  at  me  that 
I  do  not  understand  until  my  wife  explains  the 
enigma  to  me.  I  laugh,  and  go  and  smooth 
her  down." 

When  we  returned  to  the  parlor,  the  company 
was  dispersing.  Castell  gave  me  his  well-cared-for 
hand,  shaking  mine,  expressing  with  the  careless 
coolness  of  a  man  of  the  world  his  pleasure  in 
knowing  me.  Sabas  and  his  wife  showed  more 
warmth.  Dona  Clara,  majestic  and  severe,  said 
good-night  to  me  without  mentioning  Jupiter  or 
Pollux,  or  any  other  pagan  divinity,  which  sur- 
prised me.  Retamoso  improved  a  moment  of  con- 
fusion to  say  to  me  half  in  Galician: 

"  It  may  be  that  you  are  right,  Senor  de  Ribot, 
and  that  women  are  not  made  for  business.  But 
mine  is  an  exception,  you  know.  Oh,  a  marvel! 
You  have  already  had  opportunity  to  be  convinced 
of  this.  A  veritable  marvel.  Phs!  " 

And  he  arched  his  eyebrows  and  showed  the 
whites  of  his  eyes,  as  if  he  beheld  before  him  the 
Himalayas  or  the  pyramids  of  Egypt. 

Cristina  took  leave  of  them  all  from  the  head  of 
the  stair  with  the  gracious  gravity  that  suited  so 
64 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

well  her  attractive  face.  I  had  eyes  for  nobody  but 
her.  Dona  Amparo  kissed  everybody,  kissed  her 
son,  her  daughter-in-law,  Dona  Clara,  Isabelita, 
and  also,  even,  Eetamoso.  I  do  not  say  she  kissed 
Castell,  but  I  believe  it  was  more  from  lack  of  cour- 
age than  lack  of  inclination. 

At  last  we  four  found  ourselves  alone.  In  order 
to  prolong  the  waking  moments,  I  begged  Cristina 
to  play  on  the  piano  a  piece  from  an  opera.  She 
showed  herself  willing,  and,  without  replying, 
seated  herself  on  the  piano  stool,  fingered  the  keys 
lightly  for  a  moment,  then  commenced  to  sing  in 
a  half -voice  the  serenade  from  Mozart's  "  Don 
Juan."  As  I  did  not  know  of  this  accomplish- 
ment my  surprise  was  great,  but  even  greater  my 
pleasure.  Hers  was  a  contralto  voice,  grave  and 
sweet.  The  music  of  the  great  masters  has  always 
the  power  to  move  us,  but  when  the  voice  of  an 
adored  woman  transports  the  soul,  music  truly 
seems  as  if  it  had  come  hither  from  the  heavens. 
I  enjoyed  for  some  moments  a  happiness  impossi- 
ble to  describe.  My  very  being  was  transformed, 
enlarged,  quickened  with  love  and  joy.  When  the 
last  notes  of  the  lovely  accompaniment  died  away, 
I  remained  swallowed  up  in  a  delicious  ecstasy, 
scarcely  knowing  where  I  was. 

Marti  pulled  me  out  of  that  abruptly. 

"  Come,  come!     The  Captain  is  falling  asleep!  " 

We  all  rose.  Dona  Amparo  retired  to  her  room, 
5  65 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

but  not  until  Marti  had  kissed  her  hand,  giving  me 
at  the  same  time  a  mischievous  wink. 

"  If  you  need  anything,"  said  Cristina  to  me, 
"  you  have  only  to  ring  the  bell/' 

And  without  giving  me  her  hand,  she  wished  me 
good-night.  Marti  accompanied  me  to  my  room, 
and  took  himself  off,  chaffing  me  affectionately. 

"  If  you  are  not  able  to  sleep  without  the  smell 
of  pitch,  Captain-,  I  will  order  a  piece  brought  up 
and  we  will  set  it  on  fire." 

When  I  found  myself  alone,  all  the  impressions 
of  the  evening  were  loosed  in  my  heart  like  impris- 
oned birds,  and  began  fluttering  about  in  a  bewil- 
dering whirl.  Why  was  I  there?  What  did  I 
expect?  How  was  this  going  to  end?  The  kind 
welcome  and  frank  cordiality  of  this  noble  family 
moved  me.  The  heartiness  of  Marti  filled  me  with 
confusion  and  shame,  but  the  lovely  form  of  Cris- 
tina rose  up  before  me,  adorable,  bewildering,  blot- 
ting out  all  the  rest.  The  thought  of  being  so 
near  her,  when  I  had  resigned  myself  to  see  her 
no  more,  overwhelmed  me  with  felicity.  I  asked 
again  and  again,  how  would  this  end?  At  last  I 
slept,  kissing  the  hem  of  the  sheet  that  her  hands 
had  smoothed. 


66 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  CCOEDING  to  my  morning  custom  I  rose  first 
XJL  of  anybody  in  the  house,  and  went  out  to 
take  a  walk  in  the  city.  I  had  seen  much  of 
Valencia,  and  was  always  gratefully  impressed  by 
the  quiet  animation  of  her  streets,  her  serene 
heavens,  her  perfumed  balminess.  Yet  how  dif- 
ferent from  those  impressions  was  the  sensation 
that  I  now  experienced. 

The  beautiful  city  of  the  east  was  awakening 
from  sleep.  People  began  stirring  in  the  streets; 
balconies  were  opened,  and  faces,  pearl-white  and 
with  magnificent  Arab  eyes,  were  visible  behind  the 
flower-pots.  As  a  morning  greeting  the  gardens 
sent  forth  odors  of  pinks  and  gillyflowers,  mal- 
lows and  hyacinths;  the  sea  its  breezes  fresh  and 
wholesome;  the  sky  its  rays  of  radiant  light.  Valen- 
cia awoke  and  smiled  upon  her  flower-gardens,  her 
sea,  and  her  incomparable  sky.  Her  fortunate 
situation  made  me  think  of  ancient  Greece;  and  as 
I  saw  passing  me  the  happy,  peaceful,  intelligent 
faces  of  her  inhabitants,  I  longed  to  repeat  the 
famous  words  of  Euripides  to  his  countrymen: 
"  Oh,  beloved  sons  of  the  beneficent  gods!  In  your 
67 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

sacred  and  unconquerable  country  you  reap  the 
glory  of  wisdom  as  a  fruit  of  your  soil;  and  you 
tread  stately  evermore  with  sweet  satisfaction  be- 
neath the  eternal  radiance  of  your  skies." 

I  doubt  if  anyone,  Greek  or  Valencian,  was  ever 
more  content  than  I  was  at  this  moment.  But  as 
a  sorrowful  moment  waits  eagerly  upon  every  joy- 
ous one  in  life,  I  was  disappointed,  on  returning 
to  the  house,  not  to  see  Cristina.  Marti  and  I 
breakfasted  alone  in  the  dining-room;  and  I 
learned  from  him  that  his  wife  had  already  break- 
fasted, and  was  in  her  own  room. 

What  man  was  ever  so  gay,  so  affectionate  as 
Marti?  He  began  to  tell  of  his  family,  his  friends, 
and  his  projects  exactly  as  if  we  had  been  friends 
all  our  lives.  His  projects  were  innumerable — 
tramways,  harbor  improvements,  railroads,  street 
widening,  etc.  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  for 
carrying  out  all  these  plans  not  only  an  enormous 
capital  would  be  needed,  but  also  an  activity  al- 
most superhuman.  Marti  seemed  to  possess  it. 
At  that  time,  besides  the  steamboat  traffic  that  al- 
most ran  itself  and  took  up  but  little  of  his  time,  he 
was  exploiting  some  zinc  mines  in  Vizcaya,  was 
building  several  wagon  roads  in  several  provinces, 
and  was  opening  artesian  wells  in  Murcia.  In  this 
last  he  had  already  used  a  large  sum  without  get- 
ting much  result,  but  he  was  sure  of  success. 

"When    we    strike    water,"    he    said    to    me, 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

laughing,  "I  intend  to  sell  it  by  the  cupful  like 
sherry." 

He  expressed  himself  rapidly,  incoherently  at 
times;  but  always  pleasingly,  because  he  put  his 
whole  soul  into  every  word. 

I  contrasted  his  confused  and  vehement  mode 
of  expression  with  that  of  his  friend  and  partner, 
Castell,  so  firm,  so  clear,  so  polished.  We  spoke 
of  him,  and  Marti  outdid  himself  in  eulogies  of  his 
personality.  There  was  not  apparently  in  all  the 
world  a  man  better  informed,  more  talented,  or 
upright.  He  knew  everything;  the  sciences  had 
no  secrets  for  him;  the  planet  hid  no  corner  that 
he  had  not  explored.  He  was,  moreover,  highly 
trained  in  the  plastic  arts,  and  he  owned  a  collec- 
tion of  antique  paintings,  picked  up  on  his  travels, 
that  was  famous  in  Spain  and  in  foreign  lands. 

"But — Castell  is  a  theorist,  did  you  know  it?" 
he  ended  by  saying,  winking  one  eye.  "We  are 
two  opposites,  and  maybe  because  of  this  we  have 
been  friends  from  childhood.  He  has  always  been 
given  to  studying  the  foundation  of  things,  and 
their  reason,  philosophy,  aesthetics.  I  don't  under- 
stand anything  of  all  that,  I  have  a  temperament 
essentially  practical,  and  if  you  will  not  think  me 
boastful,  I  will  venture  to  say  that  in  Spain  there 
is  a  greater  lack  of  useful  men  than  of  philosophers. 
Does  it  not  seem  as  if  there  is  a  plethora  of  theo- 
logians, orators,  and  poets?  If  we  wish  to  take  our 
69 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

place  beside  the  other  countries  of  Europe  it  is 
necessary  to  think  about  opening  ways  of  com- 
munication, making  harbors,  pushing  industries, 
exploiting  mines.  In  my  modest  sphere,  I  have 
done  all  that  I  could  for  the  progress  of  our  coun- 
try; and  if  I  have  not  accomplished  more,"  he 
added,  laughing,  "  do  not  believe  that  it  is  for  lack 
of  will,  but  for  want  of  the  precious  metal." 

"And  Castell  is  your  partner  in  these  enter- 
prises? "  I  asked  him. 

"  No;  we  are  not  associated  except  in  the  steam- 
boat line.  He  is  a  man  who  is  fretted  by  figures. 
He  is  rich  and  wishes  to  enjoy  his  fortune  tran- 
quilly. But  although  he  does  not  mix  much  in 
business,  when  there  is  any  lack  of  money  he  finds 
it  for  me  without  hesitation,  because  he  has  full 
confidence  in  me." 

"  It  seems  as  if  this  taste  for  business  is  in  the 
family.  Your  Aunt  Clara  also  shares  this  tem- 
perament," I  said,  to  satisfy  the  curiosity  that  had 
pricked  me  since  the  previous  night. 

"My  Aunt  Clara  is  a  notable  woman  of  great 
talent.  But  I  believe,  without  speaking  ill  of  her, 
that  the  soul  of  the  house,  who  has  made  all  the 
money,  is  her  husband.  Oh,  my  Uncle  Diego  looks 
out  for  number  one.  There  is  no  abler  nor  more 
prudent  merchant  on  all  the  eastern  coast.  Be- 
lieve me,  anything  he  lets  go  by  isn't  worth  stoop- 
ing to  pick  up." 

70 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Surely,  according  to  what  I  have  been  given  to 
understand  by  himself,  it  is  the  sefiora  who  guides 
him  in  difficult  matters,  who  really  holds  the  tiller 
in  the  business." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Marti,  smiling  and  a  little  out  of 
countenance,  "  I  do  not  doubt  that  my  Aunt  Clara 
gives  him  some  good  counsel,  but  not  of  necessity. 
In  Valencia  he  is  considered  a  bit  crafty.  It  is 
possible  that  there  may  be  some  truth  in  it.  You 
know  the  Galicians " 

He  coughed  to  hide  his  embarrassment,  and  to 
change  the  conversation.  I  had  already  taken 
notice  that  it  was  repugnant  to  him  to  find  any 
fault.  He  found  himself  on  terra  finna  only  when 
he  was  praising  people,  and  he  did  this  with  such 
ardor  that  he  seemed  to  taste  a  peculiar  pleasure 
in  it.  Bare  and  precious  quality,  that  ever  made 
him  more  worthy  of  esteem  in  my  eyes! 

When  we  had  finished  breakfast,  I  pretended 
that  I  had  occupations,  and  left  him  to  look  after 
his  own.  I  went  out  into  the  streets  again,  and  I 
soon  encountered  Sabas  in  one  of  the  nearest  ones. 
He  seemed  to  me  even  more  dried  up  and  black 
than  last  night.  He  saluted  me  with  grave  cour- 
tesy, and  after^iirning  and  joining  me,  urged  me  to 
accompany  him  to  his  house,  as  it  was  necessary  for 
him  to  change  his  clothes.  I  was  surprised  at  this 
necessity,  as  I  could  not  see  that  he  was  damp  or 
untidy.  Later  I  found  out  that  it  was  his  custom 
71 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

to  change  his  garb  three  or  four  times  every  day, 
following  the  elegant  rules  of  court  life. 

Meantime,  as  we  wended  our  way  to  his  house, 
not  far  from  that  of  his  brother-in-law,  he  informed 
me  that  he  had  a  collection  of  canes  and  of  pipes — 
a  very  notable  collection.  It  appeared  that  it  was 
one  of  the  sights  most  worthy  a  visit  of  any  in  the 
city,  and  with  an  amiability  that  I  appreciated 
highly,  he  offered  to  show  it  to  me.  He  lived  in  a 
charming  little  house.  His  wife  came  to  open  the 
door  for  us,  to  whom  he  said  laconically: 

"  I  have  come  to  change." 

We  went  to  his  room,  and  he  at  once  proceeded  to 
open  the  cupboards  wherein  he  kept  the  canes. 
There  were,  indeed,  a  lot  of  them  and  of  many 
kinds,  and  he  exhibited  them  with  a  pleasure  and 
pride  that  filled  me  with  even  more  astonishment 
than  their  number  and  variety. 

"You  see  this  palasan;  it  has  forty- two  knots. 
It  had  forty-three,  but  it  was  necessary  to  take  off 
one,  because  it  was  too  long.  Look  at  this  other 
one,  this  violet  stick."  He  .stroked  it.  "  Feel  it. 
This  one  is  of  tortoise-shell.  It  is  the  real  thing 
— a  white  one.  It  was  brought  to  me  by  the  cap- 
tain of  one  of  my  brother-in-law's  steamers." 

The  door  of  the  room  was  half-opened  and  a 
little  red  head  appeared. 

"  Papa,  mamma  let  us  come  to  give  you  a  kiss." 

"  Run  away;  we  are  busy  now,"  replied  the  father 
72 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

solemnly,  dismissing  the  child  with  a  gesture.  But 
I  had  gone  to  the  door,  and  I  kissed  with  pleasure 
that  little  red  head.  He  was  a  bright  child  of  six 
or  seven  years.  Behind  him  came  another  smaller 
one,  red-headed  too,  and  leading  by  the  hand  a  girl 
of  three  or  four  years,  dark,  with  great  black  eyes 
and  curling  black  hair.  I  have  never  seen  more 
lovely  little  creatures.  I  caressed  them  all  warmly, 
and  especially  the  little  girl,  whose  velvety  eyes 
were  marvellous.  But  they  were  all  timid,  and 
without  paying  attention  to  my  questions,  looked 
doubtfully  at  their  father.  His  face  showed  stern- 
ness and  annoyance.  He  seemed  offended  that  I 
found  his  collection  of  children  more  notable  than 
his  canes.  He  kissed  them  as  if  in  compromise, 
and  when  his  wife  came  running  to  find  them,  he 
said  to  her  sharply: 

"  Why  did  you  let  them  come  in  here  while  I  was 
busy?" 

"  They  got  away  while  I  was  getting  out  a  shirt 
for  you,"  she  answered  humbly. 

And  pushing  the  chicks  before  her,  she  drove 
them  from  the  room.  After  this  I  felt  hopeful 
that  her  husband  would  terminate  his  exhibition 
of  canes.  He  finished  at  last,  and  I,  knowing  that 
I  nattered  him,  uttered  a  thousand  exaggerations 
about  his  collection,  which  profoundly  delighted 
him.  He  then  took  the  liberty  of  dressing  before 
me.  His  wife  began  to  wait  upon  him  like  the 
73 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

most  efficient  and  servile  of  valets.  She  put  on  his 
shirt;  she  put  on  his  cravat;  she  got  down  upon 
the  floor  to  fasten  the  buttons  of  his  shoes.  This 
happy  husband  let  himself  be  dressed  and  polished 
off  with  a  restrained  gravity,  meantime  prattling 
about  his  canes  and  pipes,  these  collections  being, 
it  appeared,  the  aim  and  end  of  his  existence. 
From  time  to  time  he  reproved  his  meek  spouse. 

"  Don't  fasten  it  so  tight!  Less  dressing  and 
more  rubbing  on  these  shoes!  Tell  the  maid  that 
I  wish  her  to  take  care  not  to  daub  my  shoes.  I 
don't  care  for  that  cravat;  bring  me  a  scarf  that  will 
tie! " 

Finding  a  button  off  his  waistcoat,  he  was  struck 
dumb.  He  stared  at  his  wife  with  a  look  so  severe 
that  it  made  her  flush. 

"  I  don't  know  how  I  missed  it,"  she  stam- 
mered. "  It  came  off  when  the  waistcoat  was 
washed.  I  put  it  aside  to  sew  it  on.  I  was 
called  to  the  kitchen,  and  after  all  I  forgot  all 
about  it." 

"  Nothing,  it  is  nothing!  Of  what  consequence 
is  one  button  more  or  less?"  he  said  with  a  sarcastic 
smile. 

"  You  know  I  am  very  sorry  about  it." 

"  Have  I  not  told  you  it  is  nothing,  madam? 
Why  do  you  worry  about  it?    One  button,  one 
button!     What  does  one  button  signify  compared 
to  a  bit  of  gossip  with  the  laundress?  " 
74 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"But,  man,  for  heaven's  sake,  don't  be  like 
that!  "  she  cried  in  anguish. 

"  Have  I  said  anything?  "  he  shouted,  furious. 

Matilde  controlled  herself  and  occupied  herself 
with  sewing  on  the  button. 

"How  should  I  be?  Say!"  he  persisted  with 
unabated  fury. 

His  wife  did  not  look  up. 

Sabas  then  permitted  several  snorts  to  escape 
him,  mingled  with  incoherent  words,  and  accom- 
panied by  a  gnashing  of  teeth  thaf  the  sarcastic 
smile  still  upon  his  lips  made  even  more  repellent. 

With  heroic  courage  I  tried  to  soothe  his  troubled 
spirit.  The  winds  fell,  the  waves  became  tranquil, 
and  he  said  to  me  affably: 

"  You  are  going  to  dine  on  a  paella  to-day.  I 
know  it  already  from  Cristina.  My  sister  has  a 
cook  who  stews  like  an  angel." 

Matilde  finished  sewing  on  the  button.  When 
she  lifted  her  head  I  saw  tears  in  her  eyes. 

Sabas  gave  the  signal  for  starting,  but  first  he 
sent  his  good  lady  to  find  his  gloves,  to  bring  his 
stick,  and  then  his  handkerchief.  He  drenched 
it  with  scent  from  a  perfume  bottle,  gave  the  last 
polish  to  his  shoes,  and  a  few  touches  of  the  comb 
to  his  whiskers.  Matilde  fluttered  about  him  like 
a  butterfly,  arranging  his  coat  and  his  cravat  and 
his  hat  with  her  plump  white  hands.  And  when 
he,  dismissing  her,  took  her  chin  in  his  hand  with  a 
75 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

careless,  protecting  gesture  her  eyes  shone  with  a 
radiant,  triumphant  expression  that  seemed  to 
transport  her  to  the  heavens. 

In  the  passage  as  we  were  going  out  we  en- 
countered the  three  children,  who  would  have 
thrown  themselves  upon  their  father  to  be  kissed, 
but  he  stopped  them  with  a  threatening  gesture. 

"No,  I  can't  now.  I  should  be  all  slobbered 
over." 

I,  who  had  no  fears  of  being  daubed,  kissed  them 
with  pleasure,  wishing  to  make  amends  to  them  for 
his  crossness.  Vain  hope!  They  received  my  ca- 
resses with  indifference,  following  with  their  eyes 
their  elegant  and  morose  papa. 

Matilde  watched  us  from  the  top  of  the  stair, 
having  eyes  for  nothing  but  her  husband.  She 
noticed  that  the  collar-band  of  his  shirt  did  not 
fit  well,  on  account  of  his  overcoat,  hastened  to 
pull  it  down  for  him  and  turn  it  up;  and  profited 
by  the  opportunity  to  give  a  few  more  touches  to 
his  whiskers  with  her  fingers. 

It  was  now  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  The 
streets  were  full  of  people.  The  sun  shone  in  the 
sky  in  all  its  splendor.  We  breathed  a  perfumed 
air,  proving  ourselves  to  be  in  the  city  of  flowers. 
At  every  step  we  encountered  servants  carrying 
branches  and  sprays  of  them  that  loving  ones 
were  sending  to  delight  their  friends.  In  Valencia 
flowers  make  up  so  large  a  part  of  life,  and  their 
76 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

use  is  so  general  and  natural,  that  the  sending  of 
flowers  is  like  saying  good-morning.  Contem- 
plating this  profusion  of  carnations,  roses,  and 
lilies  that  rejoice  the  eyes  and  make  fragrant  the 
air,  I  could  not  help  saying,  "  This  is  the  city  where 
there  is  so  much  that  is  lovely  to  enjoy  that  it 
matters  little  what  one  does  with  one's  days!  " 

I  could  have  gone  about  the  streets  with  pleasure 
until  time  for  dinner,  but  Sabas  felt  himself  in 
duty  bound  to  invite  me  to  take  an  appetizer,  and 
we  entered  a  cafe  in  the  Plaza  de  la  Eeina. 

While  sipping  a  glass  of  vermouth  Sabas  showed 
himself  loquacious  and  expansive,  but  without  los- 
ing his  natural  gravity.  He  talked  to  me  about 
his  family  and  friends.  I  saw  at  once  that  he  had 
an  analytical  temperament  of  the  first  rank,  clear 
perceptions,  and  a  keen  instinct  for  seeing  the 
weak  side  of  people  and  things. 

His  sister  was  a  discreet  woman,  affectionate,  of 
upright  and  noble  intentions — but  her  character 
was  excessively  difficult;  she  enjoyed  opposing 
people;  at  times  she  lacked  courtesy;  she  was  want- 
ing in  docility,  in  a  certain  meekness  absolutely 
essential  in  a  woman;  lastly,  although  really  gen- 
erous, she  did  not  make  herself  liked. 

I  should  have  enjoyed  protesting  against  this 
absurd  summing  up.  It  was  precisely  these  quali- 
ties of  her  character,  at  once  timid  and  resolute, 
and  her  coldness  a  bit  harsh,  that  made  me  more 
77 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

in  love  than  ever.     I  abstained,  however,  for  pru- 
dential reasons,  from  speaking. 

His  brother-in-law  was,  poor  fellow,  an  indus- 
trious man,  generous,  intelligent  in  business — but 
absolutely  incapable,  as  everybody  knew.  All  the 
world  imposed  upon  him  and  used  him.  He  was 
of  a  temperament  so  volatile  that  as  soon  as  he  had 
undertaken  one  project  he  was  tired  of  it,  and 
thinking  of  another.  This  had  made  him  lose  a 
great  deal  of  money.  He  could  not  tell  how  many 
enterprises  Marti  had  engaged  in.  Some  of  them 
would  have  been  very  successful  if  he  had  stayed 
in  them;  but  he  scarcely  encountered  the  first  diffi- 
culties in  them  before  he  threw  them  aside,  aban- 
doned them.  He  had  only  shown  himself  per- 
sistent where  it  was  absolutely  useless — in  the 
matter«of  the  artesian  wells.  What  a  lot  of  money 
the  man  had  already  carried  off  and  buried  in  that 
wretched  business!  The  one  thing  that  had  really 
turned  out  well  had  been  the  steamboats,  and  these 
he  did  not  start,  but  inherited  them  from  his 
father. 

His  friend  Castell  possessed  great  learning,  ex- 
pressed himself  admirably,  and  was  immensely  rich 
— but  had  not  a  scrap  of  heart.  He  had  never 
shown  any  affection  for  anybody.  Emilio  was  mis- 
taken through  and  through  in  thinking  that  he 
returned  the  passionate,  fervent  adoration  that  he 
felt  for  him. 

78 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"But  do  not  touch  upon  this  point  when  you 
are  again  with  him,  as  I  have  tried  it  several  times. 
Whenever  the  conversation  brings  in  the  name  of 
Castell  it  is  necessary  to  open  the  mouth,  roll  up 
the  eyes  to  their  whites,  and  fall  into  an  ecstasy, 
as  if  one  beheld  a  divinity  of  Olympus.  Castell 
knows  this  weakness  of  my  brother-in-law,  ap- 
proves of  it,  and  gives  himself  airs  over  it.  For  the 
rest,  on  the  day  when  he  has  any  need. of  him,  he 
will  see  how  the  matter  stands  then." 

"But  Marti  told  me  that  he  finds  money  for 
him  when  he  needs  it  in  his  business,"  I  put  in. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  agreed  with  his  sarcastic  smile; 
"  I  do  not  doubt  that  he  finds  money  for  him,  but 
everybody  in  Valencia  knows  the  meaning  of  that." 

I  asked  no  questions.  Having  been  admitted 
into  the  intimacy  of  the  family,  I  would  not  prompt 
him.  Sabas  went  on: 

"This  man  is,  moreover,  vicious  and  immoral. 
He  has  been  entangled  for  years  with  a  woman  who 
has  borne  him  several  children;  but  this  is  no 
obstacle  to  his  bringing  back  a  charmer  with  him 
whenever  he  makes  a  foreign  journey.  He  has 
already  had  three,  one  of  them  a  Greek,  a  beautiful 
woman!  He  keeps  them  a  while  and  presently 
tires  of  them,  like  lackeys  who  no  longer  please  him. 
This,  you  understand,  makes  a  great  scandal  in  a 
provincial  capital;  but  as  he  is  named  Don  Enrique 
Castell  and  owns  eight  or  ten  million  pesetas,  no- 
79 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

body  wishes  to  offend  him.  The  priests  and  the 
canons,  and  even  up  to  the  bishop,  take  off  their 
hats  to  him  a  league  off." 

"  I  have  been  told  of  the  wealth  of  your  relations, 
the  Eetamosos! " 

"  Oh,  no;  that  is  a  much  more  modest  fortune; 
it  is  counted  by  thousands  of  duros,  not  by  millions; 
but  all  that  has  been  earned  bit  by  bit,  did  you 
know  it? — peseta  by  peseta,  at  first  behind  a 
counter,  and  then  at  a  desk." 

"  Your  Aunt  Clara,  it  seems,  is  a  lady  of  much 
judgment  in  business." 

Sabas  roared  with  laughter. 

"  My  Aunt  Clara  is  an  imbecile!  She  has  never 
done  anything  in  all  her  life,  except  speak  English 
with  governesses  and  show  her  classic  nose  in  the 
Glorieta  and  the  Alameda.  But  my  Uncle  Diego 
is  the  slyest  Galician  born  in  this  century.  He 
laughs  at  his  wife,  and  he  is  capable  of  laughing 
at  his  own  ghost.  I  do  not  consider  that  he  has 
ability  for  any  great  enterprises.  He  has  not,  as  I 
just  said,  the  genius  of  affairs;  but  I  assure  you 
that,  among  those  who  handle  small  amounts,  I 
have  never  known,  nor  do  I  think  you  could  readily 
find,  a  more  cautious  man." 

In  this  fashion  my  elegant  friend  continued  his 

studies  of  his  family  with  a  criticism  implacable, 

yet  clever  and  at  times  witty.     From  that  he  went 

on  to  talk  about  his  native  city;  and  I  found  his 

80 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

observations  concerning  the  character  of  the  Valen- 
cians,  their  customs,  politics,  and  administration 
of  provincial  affairs,  sharp  and  to  the  point.  I 
confess  that  I  had  mistaken  him.  I  had  at  first 
taken  him  for  a  mere  coxcomb,  a  vapid  and  frivo- 
lous young  man.  He  turned  out  to  be  a  man  of 
good  understanding,  observing  and  clever,  although 
a  little  exaggerated  in  his  analyses,  and  sufficiently 
severe. 

We  went  out  of  the  cafe,  and  before  going  to  the 
house,  we  took  another  turn  in  the  streets.  Natu- 
rally, as  I  am  a  native  of  the  east  coast,  son  of  a 
sailor,  and  myself  a  sailor,  the  aspect  of  the  great 
Mediterranean  city  had  an  especial  seduction  for 
me.  The  narrow  streets,  tortuous,  clean,  with 
their  profusion  of  fine  shops;  the  large  number  of 
ancient  stone  houses  with  artistic  fagades,  belong- 
ing to  noble  families  that  have  made  their  names 
known  and  respected  throughout  the  world;  the 
hill  towers,  among  whose  turrets  one  may  imagine 
still  flit  the  old-time  archers;  the  bridges  with  their 
benches;  the  Lonja,  whose  rooms  of  exceptional 
size  and  beauty  shelter  the  richest  traders  of  Spain; 
the  lively  market-place  and  open  space  about — all 
reveal,  together  with  her  mercantile  traditions,  an 
ancient  and  opulent  capital.  All  spoke  to  me  of 
the  grandeur  of  my  race. 

I  gave  myself  into  the  hands  of  my  companion, 
who  took  me  to  the  flower-market.  We  were  not 
6  81 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

long  in  penetrating  an  iron-walled  passage  where, 
on  one  side  and  the  other,  leaving  space  in  the 
middle,  was  seen  a  multitude  of  pale,  black-eyed 
women  exhibiting  their  merchandise — carnations, 
roses,  lilies,  hibiscus,  and  iris.  Great  was  the  ani- 
mation in  this  little  place.  Ladies,  with  their 
rosaries  and  mass-books  in  their  hands,  stood  be- 
fore these  venders,  examining  their  wares  with 
liberal  and  intelligent  eye,  and  bargaining  everlast- 
ingly before  deciding  to  buy.  Gentlemen  laden 
with  branches  and  sprays  were  given  numerous  in- 
structions concerning  their  arrangement.  Ser- 
vants and  shop-girls  also  hastened  to  the  stalls, 
took  their  little  handful  of  flowers,  stuck  some  of 
them  in  their  hair,  and  leaving  their  bits  of  copper, 
marched  happily  away  with  others  in  their  hands, 
to  continue  their  tasks.  With  what  enthusiasm 
they  would  look  at  their  flower-fillets!  With  what 
pleasure  they  breathed  their  fragrance! 

As  we  cruised  among  the  stalls  I  observed  that 
most  of  the  flower-venders  greeted  my  friend  by 
name,  smiling  amiably  upon  him,  and  asking  him 
if  he  had  no  orders  to  give. 

"  You  are  popular  in  the  market,"  I  said  to  him, 
laughing. 

"  I  am  a  good  customer,  nothing  more,"  he 
answered  modestly. 

And  placing  his  hand  on  my  shoulder,  he  pushed 
me  towards  one  of  the  doors,  where  we  stationed 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

ourselves,  somewhat  retired  and  half-hidden  among 
the  foliage. 

"  This  is  a  strategic  point,"  he  said  to  me.  "  You 
will  see  how  many  fine  figures  pass  by  here  within 
five  minutes." 

And  truly  the  ladies  who  entered  by  the  other 
door,  after  making  their  purchases  or  giving  their 
orders,  went  out  by  this  one.  They  passed  so  near 
us  that  their  dresses  brushed  us.  My  companion 
had  a  compliment  or  a  pleasant  word  for  all.  Many 
of  them  knew  him  and  greeted  him;  some  paused 
an  instant  to  respond  with  gracious  repartee  to  his 
gallant  phrases.  I  was  surprised  at  the  impudence 
with  which  this  man,  married,  and  understanding 
good  form,  thus  paid  court  to  women;  and  yet 
more  that  they  accepted  his  gallantries  without 
reserve. 

I  have  seen  many  beautiful  faces  in  the  various 
lands  where  my  wandering  life  has  carried  me, 
but  nowhere  so  many,  so  delicate,  of  such  opaline 
transparency  of  complexion,  of  such  exquisite  pu- 
rity as  now.  Then,  what  eyes!  The  soul  moved 
in  their  blackness  and  mystery  as  if  yearning  to 
enfold  you  in  happy  dreams — sweet,  voluptuous, 
unfathomable  eyes,  that  seemed  to  hold  both  love 
and  death.  From  among  the  multitude  of  heads 
there  was  cast  upon  me  a  swift  glance.  It  was  she; 
yes,  it  was  she!  While  still  she  was  hid  in  the 
crowd,  I  knew  it  was  she  who  approached!  My 
88 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

heart  began  to  beat  violently.  In  a  few  moments 
she  appeared.  She  was  dressed  in  black,  and  wore 
a  mantilla.  In  one  hand  she  carried  her  mass- 
book  and  a  rosary  wound  about  her  wrist  like  a 
bracelet;  in  the  other,  a  bunch  of  carnations.  She 
was  with  her  cousin  Isabelita,  and  both  were  ac- 
companied by  Castell.  I  cannot  explain  the  sort  of 
impression  that  man  made  upon  me  at  this  moment. 
My  heart  was  constricted  as  if  in  the  presence  of 
great  danger,  and  the  vague  antipathy  he  had  in- 
spired me  with  the  night  before  was  transformed 
into  hatred.  The  violence  with  which  this  feeling 
was  born  within  me  surprised  me,  but  I  did  not 
confess  to  myself  the  cause  of  it.  I  held  it  well  in 
hand  and  forced  myself  to  appear  as  agreeable  as 
I  could. 

They  seemed  surprised  when  they  saw  us.  Cas- 
tell and  Isabelita  congratulated  us  on  the  excellent 
position  that  we  had  chosen. 

"  What  doesn't  this  rogue  know  about  the  con- 
duct of  gallantries! "  exclaimed  the  daughter  of 
Retamoso,  giving  Sabas  a  tap  on  the  shoulder  with 
her  book.  And  then,  laughing,  she  blushed  like  a 
poppy. 

"  Come,  cousin,"  returned  Sabas,  "  at  least  you 
know  that  I  haven't  offered  you  any  gallantries. 
But  we  still  have  time.  You  are  got  up  with  so 
much  elegance  that  on  seeing  you  I  forget  our 
family  ties." 

84 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Isabelita  blushed  even  more,  if  that  were  possi- 
ble. Sabas  persisted  in  his  compliments.  Castell 
came  to  his  aid.  Meanwhile  Cristina  glanced  ab- 
sently from  one  to  another.  I  divined  that  it  was 
to  avoid  meeting  my  eyes. 

Sabas  spoke  to  her: 

"  Little  sister,  aren't  you  going  to  put  one  of 
your  carnations  in  my  button-hole  ?  " 

"  Why  not?  "  she  answered. 

And  handing  her  book  to  her  cousin,  she  took  the 
largest  and  most  beautiful  one  in  her  bouquet  and 
fastened  it  where  he  bade  her. 

Moved  by  a  sudden  impulse,  and  with  a  daring 
that  I  thought  I  had  lost  towards  this  woman,  I 
said: 

"  And  is  there  nothing  for  the  others?  " 

"Would  you  like  one? "  she  asked  me,  handing 
me  one  with  a  glance. 

"  No;  I  desire  the  honor  of  having  you  fasten 
it  in  my  button-hole/'  I  replied  firmly. 

There  was  an  instant  of  suspense.  She  showed 
indecision;  but  at  last  picked  out  another  carna- 
tion and  hastily  put  it  in  its  place.  I  thought  I 
noticed  (it  may  have  been  illusion,  I  do  not  know) 
that  her  hands  trembled.  Oh,  Dios,  with  what 
pleasure  I  could  have  kissed  them! 

"  And  I?  Do  I  not  have  my  turn?  "  asked  Cas- 
tell then,  bowing  with  an  amiable  smile. 

"  Oh,  pshaw!  we  have  already  had  enough  of 
85 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

carnations/'  she  said  crossly,  going  on  out  of  the 
door. 

"  I  came  too  late,"  murmured  the  banker  in  some 
confusion. 

"  Would  you  like  one  of  mine?  "  Isabelita  asked 
him,  timidly. 

"  Oh,  with  the  greatest  pleasure." 

And  he  bowed  smiling,  and  apparently  delighted 
while  the  young  girl  placed  the  carnation  in  his 
coat.  Yet  I  understood  that  he  was  disgruntled. 

We  all  followed  Cristina;  and  her  cousin  paired 
off  with  her,  Sabas,  Castell,  and  I  walking  behind. 
But  we  had  not  walked  far  when  Sabas  saw  a 
charming  shop-girl,  and  stopped  to  chat  with  her. 
Castell  and  I  waited  for  him  a  moment,  but  seeing 
he  was  not  likely  to  finish  soon,  we  followed  on 
after  the  ladies. 

"  This  brother-in-law  of  Marti's  seems  to  me  a 
youngster  of  a  good  deal  of  ability,"  I  said  to  my 
companfon. 

"As  a  critic?"  asked  Castell,  laconically. 

"  As  a  critic?  "  I  returned,  surprised. 

"Yes;  he  is  admirably  endowed  with  power  to 
see  the  weak  and  strong  sides  of  things,  to  weigh 
and  measure,  to  compare,  to  penetrate  the  laby- 
rinths of  conscience.  But  these  faculties  are  ex- 
ercised upon  others;  it  never  occurs  to  him  to  apply 
them  to  himself.  Thus  all  his  analyses,  criticisms, 
wise  and  pointed  counsels,  are  wasted;  and  he  is  an 
86 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

absolutely  fatuous  and  useless  man.  He  has  under- 
taken five  or  six  careers,  and  gone  on  in  none  of 
them;  he  wasted  his  patrimony  in  gambling  and 
dissipation;  he  martyrizes  his  wife,  neglects  his 
children,  and  he  is  at  present  living  on  his  brother- 
in-law." 

"A  good  panegyric!"  I  exclaimed,  laugh- 
ing. 

"  You  will  hear  the  same  from  all  sensible  people 
in  town.  This  does  not  hinder  him  from  being  an 
agreeable  fellow,  popular  and  generally  liked;  and 
this  is  because  his  defects  can  scarcely  be  called 
public,  but  private  vices." 

We  joined  the  ladies  at  last,  and  arrived  at 
Martf  s  about  the  hour  of  dinner.  My  hosts  had 
invited  in  my  honor  the  company  of  the  night  be- 
fore, all  of  them  with  the  exception  of  Castell  being 
members  of  the  family.  Emilio  made  me  sit  at 
his  wife's  right.  The  touch  of  her  dress,  the  per- 
fume that  floated  from  her,  and  a  yet  more  mys- 
terious fluid  wherewith  her  nearness  filled  me,  in- 
toxicated and  upset  me.  This  went  so  far  that, 
desiring  to  show  myself  gallant  and  attentive  to 
her,  I  could  scarcely  say  or  do  the  most  ordinary 
things.  I  spilled  water  on  the  tablecloth,  I  asked 
her  three  times  if  she  liked  olives,  and  dropped  the 
olive-fork  in  offering  her  one.  But  I  was  happy, 
and  I  could  not  conceal  it. 

She  showed  herself  courteous  and  a  little  more 
87 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

kindly  disposed,  thanking  me  for  my  attentions 
and  gracefully  covering  up  my  blunders. 

It  made  me  even  more  happy  when  Castell  fixed 
his  glance  upon  the  carnation  in  my  button-hole, 
and  asked  me  with  his  cold,  ironical  smile: 

"  Captain,  would  you  take  a  thousand  pesetas 
for  that  carnation  you  are  wearing?  " 

"  A  thousand  pesetas!  "  exclaimed  Marti,  looking 
up  in  surprise. 

I  was  indescribably  agitated,  as  if  I  had  been 
surprised  in  the  act  of  committing  a  crime.  I 
knew  no  better  than  to  smile  stupidly  and  exclaim: 

"  How  full  of  jokes  you  are!  " 

But  Cristina  held  up  her  beautiful  head  proudly, 
and  turning  to  Castell,  she  said: 

"  Captain  Ribot  is  a  gentleman,  and  does  not 
sell  the  flowers  that  a  lady  bestows  upon  him." 

"  Ah,  so  she  bestowed  it  upon  you!  "  said  Marti, 
and  turning  to  Castell  added:  "But,  Enrique, 
would  you  wish  Ribot  to  sell  you  this  carnation, 
when,  if  she  had  given  it  to  me,  I,  although  her 
husband,  would  not  let  you  have  it  for  your  whole 
fortune?  " 

And  at  the  same  time  he  gazed  at  his  wife  with  a 
look  of  intense  affection.  The  innocence  and 
nobleness  of  that  man  moved  me.  He  must  have 
touched  the  soul  of  Cristina.  Dropping  her  head 
again,  she  murmured  in  intense  tones: 

"  Thou  art  thou—tu!" 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

These  simple  words  were  a  poem  of  tenderness. 

"It  is  well  known/'  observed  Castell  with  the 
same  indifference,  "that  there  are  things  in  the 
world  that  cannot  be  and  should  not  be  bought 
with  money.  Unfortunately  men  are  not  in  the 
same  category  with  them,  and  therefore  we  pursue 
material  and  even  gross  objects  until  we  secure 
them,  however  remote  they  may  be." 

"But  I  do  not  find  them  remote,"  said  Sabas. 
"  It  seems  to  me  that  money  serves  well  enough  for 
almost  all  the  cases  that  present  themselves.  Thus 
you  hold  another  carnation  to  be  better  than  this. 
This  was  given  me  by  a  lady.  All  right,  Castell,  I 
will  let  you  have  this  one  for  two  pesetas." 

The  company  laughed.  Cristina  seemed  vexed 
and  said  to  her  brother: 

"  You  are  rude;  you  are  a  clodhopper.  Matilde, 
do  me  the  favor  of  taking  the  carnation  away  from 
that  pig.  After  that,  he  shall  not  keep  it." 

Sabas  covered  it  up  with  his  hands. 

"  Wait  a  bit,  my  girl,  wait  a  bit.  If  Castell  pays 
the  two  pesetas,  I'll  give  it  up.  Until  then  we  do 
not  separate,  no! " 

"  Here  it  is!  "  said  Castell,  taking  the  money  out 
of  his  pocket-book  and  passing  it  across  the  table. 

"  There — go!  "  said  Sabas,  passing  over  the  car- 
nation. 

This  jest  produced  a  shout  at  the  table.  Yet  it 
did  not  please  Cristina.  She  was  furious,  and 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

called  her  brother  names,  and  vowed  that  she  would 
never  give  him  another  flower  as  long  as  she  lived. 

Meanwhile  1  had  had  time  to  recover  from  the 
extreme  agitation  that  the  words  of  Castell  had 
caused  me.  We  finished  dining  gayly,  but  Cristina 
did  not  again  appear  smiling  and  cordial  as  before. 

Two  hours  later  I  took  the  train  for  Barcelona, 
where  my  presence  was  indispensable.  I  was  ac- 
companied to  the  station  by  Marti  and  Sabas. 
Marti  made  me  promise  another  and  a  longer  visit. 

"  After  my  next  voyage,"  I  told  him,  "  I  am 
thinking  of  asking  the  company's  permission  to 
stop  at  home  when  they  change  the  order  of  time 
for  the  ships,  six  weeks  hence.  Then  I  will  come 
down  from  Alicante  and  spend  a  week  or  a  fort- 
night with  you." 

"  We  shall  see  if  you  are  a  man  of  your  word," 
he  replied,  squeezing  my  hand  affectionately  until 
it  was  time  for  me  to  take  the  train  and  be  off. 


90 


CHAPTER   VI. 

I  DO  not  know  what  relation  exists  between  salt 
water  and  love,  but  experience  has  made  me 
realize  that  there  exists  in  it  some  mysterious  and 
stimulating  virtue.  On  land  I  am  able  to  control 
somewhat  my  most  vehement  sentiments  and  con- 
quer them.  Once  on  board  I  am  a  lost  man.  The 
most  insignificant  attraction  takes  on  gigantic  pro- 
portions and  in  a  little  while  knocks  me  flat.  So 
it  happened  that  while  in  Valencia  I  proposed  to 
myself  to  make  nothing  of  flattering  invitations, 
and  never  again  in  my  life  to  return  to  stand  before 
Dona  Cristina,  continuing  in  this  commendable 
resolution  until  I  left  Barcelona,  no  sooner  did  I 
find  myself  afloat  than  it  vanished  like  the  mist, 
and  seemed  to  me  a  veritable  absurdity. 

It  was  from  Hamburg  that  I  wrote  to  the  ship- 
ping house,  asking  permission  to  remain  over  one 
voyage  at  home,  to  arrange  certain  family  affairs. 
Meanwhile  it  had  come  about  that  I  was  not  able 
to  think  of  anything  but  the  wife  of  Marti.  Not 
even  in  dreams  did  she  leave  my  mind;  every  word 
she  had  spoken  sounded  ceaselessly  in  my  ears,  as 
if  I  had  in  my  brain  a  phonograph  charged  with 
91 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

conversations,  and  in  my  heart  I  felt  every  one  of 
her  gestures  and  movements.  On  returning  to- 
wards Valencia  the  delight  of  thinking  that  soon 
I  was  going  to  enjoy  a  sight  of  my  idol  produced 
in  me  a  sentiment  of  mingled  shame  and  remorse. 
I  feared  a  disdainful  reception  from  her,  and  I 
feared  also  an  affectionate  and  cordial  one  from 
her  husband. 

I  did  not  intend  to  lodge  in  his  house,  to  hush 
my  noisy  conscience.  After  spending  six  days  in 
Alicante,  I  went  to  Valencia  with  a  friend  who 
chanced  along,  and  made  him  an  excuse  for  not 
going  to  the  house  of  Marti.  I  did  not  go  directly 
to  see  him,  preferring  to  go  later.  I  went  out  first 
to  take  a  walk  in  the  streets.  But  while  walking 
through  one  of  the  principal  streets,  I  saw  not  far 
distant  three  ladies  looking  at  the  fashions  in  a 
shop- window. 

As  I  drew  near  I  perceived  that  one  of  them  was 
Cristina,  and  the  other  two,  Dona  Clara  and  Dona 
Amparo.  I  hastened  up  to  them,  and  saluted  them 
standing  behind  them.  (How  could  I  do  such  a 
thing?) 

Cristina  turned  her  head;  and,  as  if  she  had  seen 
something  alarming,  she  gave  a  cry  and  ran  for- 
ward hastily  a  few  steps.  My  astonishment  was 
great  and  the  surprise  of  these  ladies  was  scarcely 
less.  Perceiving  at  once  the  strangeness  of  her 
conduct,  and  as  if  ashamed,  she  turned  and  came 
92 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

and  welcomed  me  with  unusual  amiability.  She 
explained  her  cry  and  her  flight  by  declaring  that 
a  few  moments  ago  she  had  given  a  bit  of  alms  to 
a  poor  creature  who  had  been  a  criminal,  and  all  at 
once,  without  knowing  why,  it  seemed  to  her  as  if 
he  had  followed  them  and  was  going  to  attack  her. 
Dona  Amparo  and  Dona  Clara  were  satisfied  with 
this,  and  laid  her  attack  of  nerves  to  her  condition; 
they  wished  her  to  come  into  a  shop  and  take  a 
quieting  draught,  but  Cristina  said  no. 

I  knew  better  than  this,  and  walked  on  with 
them,  saddened  because  I  knew. 

Marti  received  me  with  lively  delight,  professing 
to  be  vexed  with  me  because  I  had  not  sought  the 
hospitality  of  his  house;  but  I,  fortified  by  my  ex- 
cuse, held  fast,  and  would  not  give  in.  Sabas  also 
showed  pleasure  at  seeing  me.  I  could  not  do  less 
than  offer  him  my  compassion  on  seeing  in  his 
face  traces  plainer  than  ever  of  his  arduous  labors 
beneath  the  sun.  The  result  of  these,  by  what  I 
could  gather,  was  the  acquisition  of  an  amber 
mouthpiece  with  his  initials  engraved  upon  it,  of 
which  he  was  so  proud  that  it  seemed  as  if  all  the 
vigils  and  anxieties  that  it  had  cost  him  had  been 
well  spent. 

It  was  not  necessary  to  inquire  what  impression 
my  arrival  made  upon  Castell.  His  cold,  cere- 
monious courtesy  made  unnecessary  any  inquiries 
of  that  sort.  Eeally  it  seemed  to  me  that  the 
03 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

lightly  disdainful  attitude  that  he  held  towards 
all  the  world  was  a  little  emphasized  towards  me. 
Perhaps  I  was  ill-tempered,  but  a  secret  instinct 
warned  me  that  this  man  hated  me,  and  I  paid  him 
in  his  own  coin. 

Cristina  was  now  quite  advanced  in  her  maternal 
expectations.  Although  women  do  not  consider 
themselves  beautiful  at  this  time,  except  to  their 
husbands,  I  found  her  more  beautiful  and  inter- 
esting than  ever,  an  indubitable  proof  of  the  depth 
of  the  affection  wherewith  she  had  inspired  me. 
Her  imaginary  fears  and  her  agitations  at  sight  of 
me  only  increased  it,  and  I  credited  her  lack  of  cour- 
tesy to  these  imaginary  fears.  I  noted  that  after 
the  meeting  she  took  pains  not  to  look  at  me;  but 
the  very  haughtiness  with  which  she  did  it  showed 
that  some  agitation  ruled  her  spirit,  and  that  I 
was  not  absolutely  indifferent  to  her.  Such  was 
at  least  my  illusion  at  the  time. 

Although  I  was  not  lodged  in  his  house,  the 
cordiality  of  Marti  and  my  secret  longing  forced 
me  to  go  every  day  to  dine  and  spend  some  time 
with  them.  It  was  impossible  for  me  to  hide  my 
love.  At  the  risk  of  being  observed  (not  by  Marti, 
who  was  innocence  personified,  but  by  the  others), 
I  scarcely  quitted  the  sight  of  Cristina.  Whenever 
occasion  presented,  I  made  plain  what  was  passing 
in  my  soul.  If  she  dropped  anything  upon  the 
floor,  I  was  there  to  hasten  and  pick  it  up.  If  she 
94 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

glanced  towards  the  door,  I  had  already  mn  to  close 
it.  If  she  complained  of  any  ill  feeling,  I  pro- 
posed all  the  remedies  imaginable.  In  short,  I 
showed  to  all  concerned  a  lively  interest  and 
anxiety  that  came  from  my  heart.  She  received 
these  attentions  with  a  serious  face,  sometimes  with 
a  certain  diffidence;  but  I  understood  that  she 
would  not  permit  herself  to  take  the  slightest  no- 
tice, and  this  sufficed  me. 

One  day  I  grew  more  daring.  Showing  no  such 
intention,  I  went  nearer  and  nearer  to  her  until  my 
arm  touched  her  dress.  Then  she  got  up  brusquely 
and  placed  herself  elsewhere.  These  silent  rebuffs 
produced  a  melancholy  impression  upon  me.  But 
I  was  compensated  by  other  enjoyments,  fanciful, 
perhaps,  but  that  did  not  hinder  their  being  de- 
licious. When  we  were  sitting  at  table,  although 
as  I  have  said  she  took  great  pains  not  to  look  at 
me  face  to  face,  she  could  not  help  glancing  about, 
and  her  eyes  would  meet  and  thrill  my  own. 
When  this  happened,  I  believed  I  could  see  that 
her  face  colored  slightly. 

Love  did  not  wholly  stifle  my  powers  of  observa- 
tion. I  mean  to  say  that  I  loved  the  wife  of  Marti 
and  studied  her  at  the  same  time.  I  soon  came  to 
see  and  understand  that  beneath  her  rare  and 
gracious  mingling  of  timidity  and  ease  of  manner, 
of  insistent  happiness  and  supercilious  seriousness, 
there  existed  in  her  a  depth  of  exquisite  sensibility, 
95 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

carefully  and  even  ferociously  guarded.  The 
modesty  of  sentiment  was  so  strong  in  her  that 
any  manifestation  of  tenderness  caused  it  to  re- 
treat. She  preferred  to  pass  for  hard  and  cold 
rather  than  that  anyone  should  read  her  soul. 

Unlike  her  mamma,  who  was  delighted  to  re- 
ceive endearments,  and  who  kissed  everybody,  she 
never  gave  a  caress  to  any  member  of  her  family, 
and  avoided  receiving  one  whenever  possible.  Her 
husband  himself,  when  he  found  himself  a  little 
rebuffed,  took  it  with  his  jolly  shout,  accepting 
everything  with  a  laugh.  In  spite  of  this  they  all 
loved  her  dearly,  and  looked  upon  her  coldness  as 
a  graceful  oddity,  with  which  it  pleased  her  at 
times  to  snub  them  a  little. 

Because  of  her  character,  the  least  expression  of 
affection  from  her  lips  had  an  inestimable  value. 
But  it  was  necessary  to  turn  it  off  and  pretend  that 
it  was  not  noticed.  If  it  was  observed  and  she 
knew  it,  all  was  lost.  She  returned  at  once  to  her 
brusqueness,  cutting  off  gratitude  with  some  ironi- 
cal or  disdainful  speech.  She  also  had  the  spirit 
of  contradiction  well  developed;  that  is  to  say,  she 
was  wont  to  antagonize  other  people,  not  from 
pride  or  ill-humor,  as  I  was  soon  convinced,  but 
rather  because  of  her  great  reserve,  which  made  it 
repugnant  to  her  to  show  the  real  strength  of  her 
feelings. 

And  with  all  this — an  extraordinary  thing! — 
96 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

there  was  never  a  creature  whose  features  expressed 
more  fully  the  movements  and  emotions  of  her 
spirit,  even  to  the  faintest  shades  of  thought. 
Whatever  dominated  her  for  the  moment,  whatever 
stirred  her,  in  spite  of  barred  fortress  that  she 
sought  to  guard,  was  revealed  in  her  eyes,  in  the 
changeful  lights  on  her  face,  in  all  her  gestures  and 
movement. 

Marti  showed  himself  every  day  franker  and 
more  cordial  towards  me.  This,  it  may  be  divined, 
made  it  possible  for  none  but  a  villain  to  breathe 
in  an  enterprise  against  him.  And  I,  who  did  not 
hold  myself  that,  was  embarrassed  and  saddened. 
We  were  inseparable  from  the  first.  Not  only  did 
we  dine  and  take  our  coffee  together,  but  he  often 
insisted  that  I  should  accompany  him  while  he 
was  attending  to  his  business;  he  soon  made  me  his 
confidant  and  even  asked  me  to  give  him  advice. 
At  last,  after  I  had  been  five  or  six  days  in  Valencia, 
he  joyously  proposed  that  we  should  thee-and-thou 
each  other,  and  without  waiting  for  my  response 
began  to  do  so  with  a  cordiality  that  touched  me. 
I  experienced  a  mingled  pride  and  humiliation, 
pleasure  and  pain;  thinking  how  the  confidence  of 
this  man  brought  me  nearer  his  wife,  yet  held  me 
all  the  more  removed  from  her  morally.  I  had 
occasion  to  prove  this  only  a  few  hours  afterwards. 
When  we  were  again  at  the  house,  I,  out  of  shyness, 
did  everything  possible  to  conceal  that  we  had  so 
7  97 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

soon  adopted  a  new  method  of  addressing  each 
other.  Marti  made  it  plain  directly.  Cristina 
lifted  her  head  surprised,  looked  at  us  both  an  in- 
stant, and  dropped  her  eyes  again,  but  not  before  I 
had,  I  believed,  surprised  in  them  an  expression 
of  annoyance.  I  guessed  what  passed  in  her  soul. 

Marti  invited  me  the  next  day  to  visit  his  estate 
at  Cabanal,  where  he  had  certain  orders  to  give 
about  the  house  and  garden.  The  family  was 
usually  installed  there  by  May,  the  present  month; 
but  this  year,  on  account  of  the  happy  event  that 
was  expected,  the  moving  out  had  been  postponed. 

We  made  the  trip  on  foot,  by  the  road  and  across 
the  fields,  in  order  to  see  the.  farms  and  gardens 
that  lie  between  the  city  and  the  sea.  I  consented 
with  good  will,  and  at  the  hour  for  the  promenade 
we  started  out  upon  our  way,  walking  slowly  until 
we  reached  the  place. 

My  companion  never  closed  his  mouth  after  we 
came  out  of  the  house.  The  discussion  of  his  af- 
fairs engrossed  him  to  such  an  extent  that  he  paid 
no  attention  to  the  delicious  country,  carpeted  with 
flowers,  whose  white  cottages  seemed  like  doves 
alighted  near  us.  Round  about  every  one  of  the 
little  houses  with  their  sharp-pointed  roofs  grew  a 
grove  of  orange-trees,  pomegranates,  and  algarro- 
bos.  Beyond  were  cultivated  fields  with  flowers 
and  vegetables,  some  set  with  roses,  lilies,  carna- 
tions, gillyflowers;  and  others  with  strawberries, 
98 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

alfalfa,  and  artichokes.  Running  about  among 
them  on  the  well-beaten  paths  were  beautiful 
brunette  children,  who  stopped  to  gaze  at  us  with 
their  deep,  dark  eyes.  The  father  of  the  family, 
bending  to  his  task,  would  always  lift  his  head  as 
we  passed  and  salute  us  gravely  and  silently,  lift- 
ing his  hand  to  his  hat  of  coarse  straw. 

Marti  did  not  see  this,  and  scarcely  the  road  we 
were  walking  on. 

"  One  of  two  things!  Either  this  business  of  the 
artesian  wells  will  turn  out  well,  in  which  case  I 
not  only  hope  soon  to  get  a  return  on  the  capital 
employed,  but  I  shall  also  make  a  good  income  for 
myself  and  my  heirs;  or  it  will  turn  out  badly,  and 
then  it  will  look  as  if  the  capital  were  lost,  but  it 
will  not  really  be  so,  because  of  my  disposition  and 
personal  knowledge,  trained  and  skilful  in  this 
class  of  work,  which  I  think  I  should  immediately 
use  in  making  canals  from  a  river  in  the  province 
of  Almeria,  where  there  are  great  tracts  of  land 
that  might  prove  very  productive  if  watered, 
and  which  need  only  irrigation  and  ways  of  com- 
munication. It  is  a  project  that  I  have  been  turn- 
ing over  in  my  head  for  several  years.  You  know 
well  how  much  time  and  money  it  takes  in  Spain  to 
get  people  together  for  this  sort  of  business.  Not 
only  are  directors,  capitalists,  and  superintendents 
lacking,  but  even  workmen  who  know  how  to  carry 
out  a  certain  class  of  works  that  I  undertake.  Well, 
99 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

whether  the  artesian  wells  turn  out  well  or  ill,  I 
still  have  this  knowledge  ready  at  my  command." 

"That  seems  to  me  exactly  the  idea,"  I  said, 
absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  the  beautiful, 
variegated  floral  carpet  that  was  spread  before  us. 

"  Yes,  I  think  that's  it!  "  exclaimed  Marti,  with 
emphasis.  "  But  these  ideas,  friend  Ribot/'  he 
went  on,  gayly  flinging  out  his  arms  as  if  to  em- 
brace all  mankind,  "  these  ideas  only  come  after 
some  years  of  experience,  and  not  even  then  unless 
one  has  practical  sense  and  a  vocation  for  business." 

"  Yes,  aptitudes  can  be  developed,  but  they  can- 
not be  acquired." 

"  There  is  my  brother-in-law,  Sabas.  I  make 
superhuman  efforts  to  discover  in  him  some  ability, 
something  he  can  do,  and  I  only  succeed  in  putting 
myself  out.  Whatever  matter  I  confide  to  his  care, 
even  if  I  give  him  precise  and  definite  instructions, 
he  manages  to  knock  all  to  pieces.  It  has  got  so 
tiresome  that  I  leave  him  in  peace  and  employ 
him  in  nothing  whatever." 

I  could  not  help  thinking  that  this  punishment 
was  not  found  very  cruel  by  the  brother-in-law, 
and  yet  it  came  into  my  imagination  that  he  might 
have  purposely  provoked  it  as  certain  naughty  chil- 
dren provoke  it  from  their  teachers,  but  I  kept 
these  and  my  other  observations  to  myself. 

"  It  is  very  different  with  my  friend  Castell.  Of 
wide  and  penetrating  talent,  with  a  remarkable 
100 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

mind,  immense  learning,  a  profound  knowledge  of 
the  sciences  and  arts,  and  even  of  mechanics — but 
from  the  first  moment  of  application  he  is  discour- 
aged by  the  least  scrap  of  an  obstacle  in  his  way. 
He  is  all  obstacles  and  doubts  and  scruples.  He 
loses  heart  before  he  begins  anything  and  he  has 
given  up  business.  To  carry  out  an  industrial 
enterprise  a  knowledge  of  the  matter  is  not  enough; 
it  must  be  studied;  it  is  necessary  that  the  one  who 
undertakes  it  should  possess  an  essentially  positive 
mind — above  all,  that  he  should  have,  like  me,  an 
iron  will." 

Little  by  little  we  drew  nearer  to  Cabanal.  I 
have  already  described  these  shores  of  the  sea  whose 
great  plain  lies  blue  beneath  the  sun.  We  walked 
on  enveloped  in  its  light  and  breathing  the  fragrant 
air.  The  joyfulness  of  such  a  scene,  serene  and 
luminous  as  a  picture  by  Titian,  the  idyllic  bits  that 
we  came  upon  here  and  there,  entered  into  the  soul 
and  overflowed  it  with  a  gentle  felicity.  In  all 
this  joy,  this  soft  tranquillity,  Marti  with  his  beau- 
tiful, waving  locks,  his  great,  innocent  eyes,  did  not 
seem  to  me  so  forcible  a  man  as  he  wished  to  ap- 
pear, not  altogether  of  iron. 

Before  coming  to  the  first  houses  of  the  village 
we  turned  off  to  the  left.  There  at  a  distance  was 
a  white  villa  that  Marti  told  me  was  his  property. 
On  the  way  I  saw  a  curious  plot  of  ground  whose 
walls  were  made  of  perfectly  symmetrical  and 
101 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

equal-sized  stones.  These  walls  seemed  to  be  in 
ruins,  and  through  great  openings  I  could  discern 
certain  structures,  great  iron  pipes,  rusted  and 
fallen  in  pieces  to  the  ground,  wheels  and  other 
portions  of  machinery. 

"  What  is  this?  "  I  asked,  surprised. 

Marti  coughed  before  replying,  pulled  a  bit  at  his 
shirt  cuffs,  and  declared,  with  a  gesture  between 
peevishness  and  shamefacedness: 

"  Nothing — a  factory  of  artificial  stones." 

"  But  it  does  not  seem  to  be  running." 

"  No." 

"  Whom  does  it  belong  to?  " 

"  To  me." 

I  shut  up,  because  I  understood  how  much  the 
subject  mortified  him.  We  went  on  several  steps 
without  deigning  to  cast  another  look  upon  the 
abandoned  factory,  when,  turning,  he  suddenly 
exclaimed: 

"Don't  imagine  that  I  didn't  know  how  to 
manufacture  stone — all  these  walls  are  built  of 
the  products  of  the  factory.  Take  up  a  piece  of 
the  stone  and  examine  it." 

I  took  up  a  piece,  examined  it,  and  saw  that  in 
fact  it  had,  in  appearance  at  least,  all  the  necessary 
qualities  of  resistance.  It  gave  me  pleasure  to  say 
BO.  Marti  explained  that  the  failure  of  the  factory 
was  due  to  the  scarcity  of  workmen.  Valencia  was 
a  province  that  for  centuries  had  neglected  indus- 
103 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

trial  for  agricultural  pursuits;  it  lacked  hands. 
Then  the  manager  had  not  properly  filled  his  place; 
the  increase  on  tariffs  and  freights^  etc.,  etc. 

The  subject  was  undoubtedly  vexatious  to  my 
friend.  He  spoke  of  it  in  a  low  voice,  with  a  frown 
on  his  forehead,  and  he  avoided  looking  at  the 
unlucky  factory.  So  in  order  to  mortify  him  no 
more,  I  showed  the  least  possible  interest  in  all 
the  rusting  machinery,  and  went  onward  without 
bestowing  another  particle  of  attention  upon  it. 

We  came  at  last  to  the  walls  of  his  grounds.  We 
entered  them  by  a  wrought-iron  gateway,  and 
crossed  a  handsomely  laid-out  garden  to  approach 
the  house.  This  was  a  modest  structure,  but  suffi- 
ciently spacious,  and  furnished  within  in  consider- 
able luxury.  The  furniture,  suitable  for  the  sum- 
mer season,  was  simple  and  elegant.  But  that 
which  roused  my  enthusiasm  was  the  extensive 
park  that  stretched  beyond,  whose  walls  reached 
to  the  seashore,  upon  which  it  opened  by  a 
wrought-iron  gateway.  Formerly  this  had  been  a 
productive  field.  But  first  Marti's  father  and  then 
himself  had  transformed  it  into  a  vast  garden. 
Shady,  gravelled  pathways  were  bordered  by 
orange-trees,  lemons,  pomegranates,  and  many 
other  sorts  of  fruit-trees.  Here  was  a  little  grove 
of  laurels,  and  in  the  middle  of  it  was  a  stone  table 
surrounded  by  chairs.  There  was  a  grotto  tapes- 
tried with  jasmine  and  honeysuckle;  yonder  was 
103 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

a  thicket  of  cannas,  or  cypresses,  and  in  the  centre 
a  statue  of  white  marble.  And  like  a  base  for 
decoration,  there  was  the  azure  line  of  the  sea,  into 
whose  waves  seemed  ready  to  fall  the  oranges  that 
hung  from  the  boughs.  The  sun,  that  was  already 
sinking,  enveloped  the  garden  and  the  sea  with  a 
sudden  blaze  of  illumination;  its  golden  rays  were 
scattered  over  the  white  paths  of  the  enclosure, 
made  the  whitewashed  house  resplendent,  pene- 
trated the  thickets  of  cypress  and  laurel,  lighting 
up  the  marble  faces  of  the  statues,  and  hung  droop- 
ing from  the  branches  of  the  trees  like  threads  of 
the  gold  of  waving  tresses.  At  the  right  were 
visible  over  the  walls  the  masts  of  little  fishing 
boats  with  their  simple  rigging,  and  yonder  ex- 
tended the  town  of  Cabafial  in  a  rare  and  pictur- 
esque blending  of  fishermen's  cots  and  aristocratic 
mansions  wherein  the  grandees  of  the  city  came 
to  spend  the  summer.  More  distant  still  was  the 
port  and  the  tall  masts  of  steamboats. 

Marti  showed  me  all  the  grounds,  although  with- 
out much  pleasure  or  pride.  Business,  past  and 
future,  burdened  him;  he  did  not  know  how  to 
throw  it  off.  It  was  only  when  we  came  to  a  corner 
next  the  beach  that  he  was  enough  distracted  for 
a  few  moments  to  point  out  to  me  a  summer-house 
in  the  Greek  style  that  was  admirably  introduced 
into  this  smiling  landscape.  It  was  adorned  within 
by  carved  furniture  brought  from  Italy,  statues  and 
104 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

vases.  It  had  a  little  lookout  balcony  towards  the 
sea,  and  over  the  door  was  inscribed  a  name  that 
caused  me  a  slight  tremor. 

"  The  building  of  this  summer-house  was  a  thing 
of  my  wife's.  That  is  why  I  had  her  name  put 
over  the  door." 

From  thence  we  returned  to  the  house  by  new 
and  ever  more  beautiful  and  embowered  pathways. 
Before  reaching  it,  we  came  upon  a  little  artificial 
hill,  and,  topping  it,  a  bit  of  a  castle.  About  it 
was  a  little  pond  of  water,  imitating  a  moat.  We 
crossed  it  by  means  of  a  drawbridge,  and  ascended 
by  a  narrow  footpath  between  hedges  of  box  and 
orange,  arriving  at  the  top  in  the  time  that  it  takes 
to  tell  of  it.  The  path,  because  of  its  artful  wind- 
ings, produced  the  effect  of  being  measured  by  rods, 
instead  of  by  inches.  Over  the  door  of  the  little 
castle  was  engraved  another  name  that  also  made 
me  tremble,  although  in  a  very  different  way. 

"  The  idea  of  the  little  artificial  hill  was  my 
friend  Castell's,  and,  naturally,  it  bears  his  name — 
which  is  all  the  better  that  it  exactly  suits  it/'  he 
added,  laughing. 

For  me  the  pun  had  much  less  charm.  Perhaps 
the  antipathy  with  which  the  subject  inspired  me 
had  part  in  this.  We  entered  the  diminutive  castle 
and  ascended  to  its  roof.  From  there  were  ad- 
mirably revealed  not  only  the  park,  which  did 
not  seem  so  vast,  but  also  a  good  part  of 
105 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

the  cultivated  grounds,  all  the  harbor,  and  the 
Puerto  Nuevo  and  the  grand  expanse  of  the  sea. 
Above  its  innumerable  wavelets,  above  the  fresh- 
ness and  dark  depths  of  the  water  hung  the  crystal 
vault  of  the  sky,  dappled  with  delicate  tints  of  rose. 
The  sun  flung  a  river  of  gold  across  the  waves. 
Among  the  flowery  fields  and  the  fields  of  maize 
shone  the  little  white  cottages  nestled  among  their 
oranges  and  cypresses.  Beyond  Valencia  was 
Miguelete,  and  in  the  distance  the  encircling  moun- 
tains, that  at  this  hour  seemed  all  of  violet  and 
mauve  and  lilac. 

"  What  is  this  hut?  "  I  asked,  disagreeably  im- 
pressed by  the  sight  of  an  ugly  brick  structure 
which  reared  itself  up  on  the  confines  of  the  park. 

"  Nothing — that  was  an  attempt  at  a  beer  manu- 
factory," replied  Marti  dryly. 

And  again  his  brow  was  furrowed  by  the  frown. 

"  And  did  it  not  get  to  the  making  of  it?  " 

"  Yes,  there  was  some  made.  It  turned  out 
badly  on  account  of  the  quality  of  the  water.  The 
maker,  whom  I  got  here  from  England,  did  not 
explain  this  to  me  in  time,  and  I  was  obliged  to 
waste  money  enough  uselessly." 

Coughing  perfunctorily,  he  pulled  at  his  shirt- 
cuffs,  ran  his  fingers  through  his  hair,  and  hastily 
descended  the  stair  of  the  little  castle,  followed  by 
me.  There  was  in  every  movement  of  this  man 
when  he  expressed  pleasure  or  annoyance  so  much 
106 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

heartiness,  such  childlike  innocence,  that  I  felt  my- 
self constantly  more  attracted  to  him.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  I  had  loved  him  for  a  great  while. 

When  we  came  away  from  his  estate  the  sun  was 
already  setting  behind  the  distant  mountains.  We 
made  our  way  around  the  house,  and  crossed  the 
grounds  again  and  through  the  fields  of  maize,  the 
gardens  and  orchards.  It  was  the  hour  of  stopping 
work,  and  the  laborers  in  the  fields,  with  their 
Valencian  kerchiefs  about  their  heads,  were  resting 
at  the  doors  of  their  cottages  under  the  sweet  fresh 
tendrils  of  vine-covered  arbors.  Their  children 
were  climbing  upon  their  knees  and  dancing  about 
them  while  the  mothers  prepared  the  rice  for 
supper. 


107 


CHAPTEE   VII. 

WHEN  we  arrived  at  the  house,  night  had  al- 
ready fallen.  The  family  was  assembled  in 
the  dining-room  and  the  table  set.  Isabelita  dined 
at  her  cousin's,  and  Retamoso  and  Dona  Clara  were 
getting  ready  to  leave  without  their  daughter. 
Sabas  and  Castell  dined  there  also.  We  were  joy- 
ously welcomed,  and  all,  except  perhaps  Cristina, 
attacked  me  with  questions  concerning  the  impres- 
sion that  the  country-place  had  made  upon  me.  I 
showed  myself  enthusiastic,  not  merely  for  cour- 
tesy, but  because  I  really  was  so.  I  enlarged  hear- 
tily upon  the  enchanting  situation,  the  taste  and 
care  with  which  the  place  was  laid  out,  the  elegance 
of  the  Cristina  pavilion  (I  believe  that  I  insisted 
too  much  on  this  point),  and  I  finished  by  saying 
that  I  should  not  find  it  unpleasant  to  spend  all 
my  life  there. 

"In  the  Cristina  pavilion?"  asked  Castell,  with 
his  ironical  smile. 

"  Why  not?  "  I  responded  boldly,  casting  a  quick 
look  at  Marti's  wife.  She  seemed  to  be  thinking 
of  something  else  at  this  moment,  but  I  divined, 
108 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

none  the  less,  that  she  did  not  lose  a  word  of  what 
I  said. 

"  Then  it's  your  taste  to  live  caged  like  a  canary. 
I  also  should  like  very  well  to  live  in  that  way,  but 
on  condition  that  I  should  be  taken  care  of  by  a 
hand  chosen  by  myself." 

Saying  this,  he  also  looked  out  of  the  corner  of 
his  eye  at  Cristina,  who  kept  her  face  turned  the 
other  way,  and  looked  terribly  dignified. 

"  But  I,  who  am  not  a  sybarite,  make  no  con- 
dition whatever,"  I  returned,  laughing. 

Marti  slapped  his  friend  several  times  upon  the 
shoulder  affectionately. 

"  As  if  we  did  not  all  know  you,  you  old  rascal! 
You  would  live  in  the  way  you  are  talking  about 
a  fortnight  perhaps.  At  the  end  of  that  time  you 
would  be  so  bored  with  your  cage,  with  lovely 
hands,  and  canary  seed  that  you  would  throw  it  all 
over." 

Castell  protested  against  this  judgment,  declar- 
ing that  fickleness  in  love  depends  not  so  much 
upon  the  temperament  and  its  changes  as  upon  the 
vague  but  pressing  necessity  that  we  all  feel  to 
seek  for  the  being  who  can  respond  to  our  inmost 
sentiments,  our  most  intimate  aspirations,  our 
secret  longings;  or,  to  speak  in  more  prosaic  words, 
although  less  clear  also,  those  that  adapt  them- 
selves exactly  to  our  physical  and  moral  individu- 
ality. 

109 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"I  have  not  found — like  you/'  he  concluded 
daringly,  "  among  so  many  women,  the  one  who 
meets  all  the  necessities  of  my  being,  many  of  them 
unimportant  perhaps,  but  none  the  less  existent. 
If,  like  you,  or  before  you  "  (he  uttered  these  words 
in  a  peculiar  manner),  "  I  had  chanced  upon  her, 
then  certainly  my  career  of  gallantry  had  ended, 
and  you  would  have  had  no  cause  to  call  me,  as 
now,  an  old  rascal." 

His  attitude,  his  accents,  and  the  furtive  glances 
that  the  rich  ship-owner  cast  from  time  to  time 
upon  Cristina  while  he  was  talking,  confirmed  me 
in  the  suspicion  that  I  had  conceived,  whereof  I 
have  not  before  had  occasion  to  speak,  that  this 
gentleman  was  paying  court  to  the  wife  of  his  in- 
timate friend  and  associate. 

The  effect  of  this  dawning  suspicion  upon  me 
was  deplorable.  I  already  hated  my  rival;  now  to 
myself  I  called  him  false  friend,  traitor,  double- 
faced!  But  at  the  same  time  a  voice  cried  out  in 
my  conscience  that  I,  though  a  new  friend,  was  not 
perceptibly  better.  This  voice  distressed  me  in- 
describably. 

The  talk  went  on,  and  Castell  found  occasion  to 
say  all  he  chose  to  Cristina,  as  if  nobody  but  her- 
self could  hear.  His  well-chosen  words  admirably 
fitted  the  gestures,  quick  and  speaking,  wherewith 
he  emphasized  them.  Cristina  talked  with  her 
mother,  but  by  her  evident  agitation  and  by  the 
110 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

cloud  of  vexation  which  darkened  her  face  I 
guessed  that  she  was  listening  to  what  Castell  said, 
and  that  it  was  not  to  her  liking.  In  that  moment, 
with  a  frown  upon  her  forehead  and  a  proud  ex- 
pression in  her  eyes,  she  seemed  to  me  more  ador- 
able than  ever. 

Eetamoso,  with  his  hat  already  on  his  head, 
came  up  to  Castell,  and  bending  as  if  to  speak  in 
his  ear,  but  in  reality  talking  loud  enough  to  be 
heard  by  his  wife,  said  in  his  attractive  Galician 
accent: 

"  Senor  Castell,  you  are  in  the  right — like  a 
saint!  The  question  hits  the  mark,  hits  the  mark. 
If  I  had  not  had  such  good  judgment  in  choosing 
a  companion,  what  would  have  become  of  me,  poor 
fellow!  What  a  darling! — eh?  What  a  treasure! 
Ssh!  silence,  keep  the  secret  for  the  present,  but  / 
wouldn't  have  had  two  pesetas.  Silence,  ssh!  " 

And  arching  his  eyebrows  and  making  up  faces 
expressive  of  admiration  and  restrained  bliss,  he 
moved  away,  shuffling  his  feet.  His  beloved  better 
half,  who  had  heard  perfectly  well,  gave  him  a 
sidewise  look  which  was  not  shining  with  gratitude, 
and  turning  up  her  hawk's  nose,  she  said  good- 
night to  us  with  imposing  severity. 

We  were  now  all  standing  up  and  preparing  to 
seat  ourselves  at  the  table.  Marti,  observing  that 
his  piece  of  bread  was  a  little  broken,  exclaimed 
jestingly: 

111 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Aha,  I  think  I  find  here  the  footprints  of  my 
little  mouse,  don't  I,  Cristina?  " 

She  smiled  assent. 

"  I  suppose  I'll  be  banished  for  picking  at  your 
bread,  some  day." 

Then,  as  Marti  turned  to  talk  with  Castell,  I 
went  up  to  the  table  carelessly  and,  pretending 
something  else,  contrived  to  get  a  morsel  of  the 
bread  that  Cristina  had  picked  at,  and  ate  it  with 
inexplicable  pleasure.  This  did  not  escape  her, 
and  I  noticed  that  her  face  took  on  a  slightly  an- 
noyed expression. 

"  Come,  come  to  dinner,  and  everyone  to  his 
place! "  she  cried,  with  a  pretty  grimace  of  vexa- 
tion. 

I  obeyed  humbly,  and  seated  myself  in  my  ac- 
customed place.  The  dinner  was  a  gay  one. 

Marti  was  talkative  and  full  of  fun.  As  if  he 
had  not  until  then  made  enough  of  the  beauties  of 
his  estate  at  Cabanal,  he  enlarged  upon  them  with 
an  enthusiasm  that  I  had  communicated  to  him  on 
our  walk.  He  ended  by  proposing  that  we  should 
go  there  afternoons  for  picnics,  since  circumstances 
hindered  the  moving  out  altogether.  It  is  needless 
to  say  with  what  delight  I  heard  this  proposition. 
Cristina  welcomed  it  with  pleasure,  and  also  the 
others  at  the  table.  Sabas  remarked,  with  his 
habitual  gravity,  that  perhaps  he  should  not  be 
able  to  go  every  day. 

112 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  No;  we  know  already  that  we  need  not  count 
upon  you.  It  would  not  do,  would  it — to  throw 
over  all  business  in  the  Plaza  de  la  Eeina  and 
the  Cafe  del  Siglo  ?  "  said  his  sister,  laughing. 

"It  isn't  that,  my  girl! "  exclaimed  the  elegant 
creature,  piqued.  "  You  know  that  I  am  not  par- 
ticularly fond  of  rural  amusements." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  that  you  are  one  of  the  citified, 
and  cannot  breathe  except  in  an  atmosphere  of 
tobacco  smoke." 

Dona  Amparo  hastened,  as  always,  to  the  rescue 
of  her  son. 

"  It  will  please  me  very  much  if  Sabas  does  not 
go,  for  picnics  always  disagree  with  his  stomach." 

"  What  would  it  matter  to  Cristina  if  I  had  to 
stay  shut  up  ?  "  exclaimed  the  critic  with  an  affec- 
tation of  bitterness. 

"  Poor  little  thing!  You  get  on  admirably  on 
late  suppers  at  the  club,  with  olives  and  cham- 
pagne." 

Marti  intervened  and  cut  off  the  dispute  between 
them,  seeing  that  Dona  Amparo  was  already  mak- 
ing ready  to  faint  away.  Everyone  has  his  own 
preferences  in  the  matter  of  amusements  and  it  was 
folly  to  try  to  impose  our  own  upon  others. 
"  Everybody  has  a  right  to  be  happy  in  his  own 
way,"  and  if  Sabas  found  himself  happier  under  a 
roof  than  under  the  open  sky,  he  had  no  wish  to 
disturb  him. 

8  113 


The  Joy  of"  Captain  Ribot 

"  All  that  I  beg,"  he  ended  by  saying,  "  is,  that 
although  he  is  not  to  be  of  the  party,  that  he  will 
let  Matilde  and  the  children  come  with  us." 

Sabas  generously  granted  this  petition,  and  all 
friction  seemed  to  be  ended;  but  Cristina,  who  still 
wished  to  tease  him  a  little,  said  with  a  mischievous 
smile: 

"  Of  course  we  understand  that  this  means  the 
afternoons  when  she  has  no  buttons  to  sew  on." 

"  Cristina,  Cristina! "  cried  Marti,  half  vexed, 
half  laughing. 

We  all  did  all  we  could  to  restrain  our  laughter. 
Sabas  shrugged  his  shoulders  with  apparent  dis- 
dain, but  remained  surly  the  rest  of  the  evening. 

The  next  day  and  the  days  thereafter,  without 
his  honorable  company  but  with  that  of  Matilde 
and  the  eldest  of  his  children,  we  made  our  excur- 
sions to  Cabanal. 

Marti  and  CastelPs  carriages  took  us  thither 
directly  after  breakfast,  and  brought  us  to  the  city 
at  sunset.  This  time  was  spent  chatting  on  the 
upper  balcony  of  the  summer-house  while  the  ladies 
embroidered  or  sewed,  or  we  went  out  into  the 
park,  where  we  played  like  children  with  balls  or 
hoops. 

Sometimes  we  left  the  place  and  ran  about  the 

village  or  went  down  on  the  beach,  where  we  were 

greatly  entertained  by  watching  the  fishing  boats 

coming  in;  at  other  times  we  directed  our  footsteps 

114 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

into  the  country,  visited  some  of  the  cottages,  usu- 
ally that  of  a  certain  Tonet,  an  old  servant  of 
Marti's,  who  owned  the  little  farm  where  he  lived. 
There  we  often  rested,  and  his  wife  welcomed  us 
with  chocolates  or  peanuts  or  served  us  some  other 
refreshment. 

But  the  important  business  of  the  afternoon  was 
the  picnic,  or  rather  its  preparation.  For  it  inter- 
ested us  that  the  picnic  was  spread  and  eaten  in  the 
open  air.  We  carried  the  alcohol  stove  and  the 
rest  of  the  things  to  some  distant  and  shady  place 
in  the  park.  The  ladies  put  on  their  aprons;  the 
gentlemen,  in  shirt-sleeves,  made  chocolate  or  coffee, 
or  fried  fish  that  we  had  just  bought  on  the  beach, 
and  passed  a  happy  time.  How  happy  I  was  when 
the  party  gave  me  the  task  of  stewing  up  some 
sailor's  dish,  and  I  went  about  among  my  scullions 
and  scullionesses  with  the  stewpan  in  my  hands, 
despotically  giving  them  exact  orders  and  some- 
times— who  would  believe  it? — going  so  far  as  to 
forget  that  I  was  in  love! 

Yet  I  was  more  and  more  in  love  all  the  time; 
there  is  no  doubt  about  that.  Neither  when  I  said 
to  Cristina  in  an  imperious  tone,  "  Bring  me  the 
salt!  "  nor,  when  I  reproved  her  sharply  for  cutting 
the  fish  up  into  too  small  pieces,  did  it  even  enter 
my  imagination  that  a  more  perfect  creature  could 
ever  have  existed  under  the  sun.  In  the  country  the 
supercilious  severity  that  I  had  often  remarked  in 
115 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

her  disappeared.  Her  mood  was  gay,  changeful, 
lively,  and  she  invented  a  thousand  tricks  to  make 
us  laugh,  while  from  her  lips  witticisms  flowed 
continuously.  She  was  the  soul  of  our  excursions, 
the  salt  that  seasoned  them. 

I  could  not  keep  my  eyes  away  from  her.  I 
listened  to  her  and  stared  at  her  like  an  idiot. 
Sometimes,  though  not  often,  she  made  me  feel 
that  I  was  carrying  water  in  a  sieve.  For  example, 
one  afternoon,  standing  in  the  summer-house,  she 
showed  us  a  thimble  that  she  had  bought.  Every- 
body examined  it,  and  I  also  after  the  others,  then 
I  contrived  to  keep  it  without  being  noticed.  A 
good  while  passed;  nothing  more  was  said  about  the 
thimble.  But  when  we  left  the  mirador  to  go  to 
our  picnic  she  crossed  in  front  of  me  and  said  with- 
out looking  at  me: 

"  Put  the  thimble  in  this  little  basket." 

It  was  of  no  use  to  be  cunning  and  crafty  with 
her.  She  saw  everything;  she  observed  everything. 

Another  afternoon,  when  her  sister-in-law  Ma- 
tilde  was  playing  on  the  piano  and  she  standing 
turning  the  leaves  of  her  music,  I  stole  up  silently 
from  behind.  Pretending  to  find  myself  enrap- 
tured by  the  music  and  looking  closely  at  its  sheets, 
I  devoured  with  my  eyes  her  alabaster  neck  and  the 
fine,  soft  hair,  there  where  the  black  locks  of  her 
head  seemed  to  die  away  and  be  lost  like  ex- 
quisite music  that  melts  in  pianissimo.  Well,  then 
116 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

as  if  she  had  eyes  for  seeing  what  was  behind  her, 
she  raised  her  hand  to  the  neck  of  her  dress  and 
pulled  it  up  with  a  gesture  of  impatience.  It  was 
an  admonition  and  a  reprimand.  But  in  spite  of 
her  dumb  rebuffs  and  reproofs  and  although  she 
used  seldom  to  look  at  me,  I  felt  myself  happy  be- 
side her.  And  this  was  because  in  these  rebuffs 
and  in  the  sternness  of  her  countenance  I  found  no 
distaste  for  myself,  nor  desire  to  mortify  me. 
Everything  emanated  from  a  noble,  if  exaggerated, 
sentiment  of  dignity,  without  counting  the  intense 
affection  that  she  professed  for  her  husband,  of 
which  she  constantly  gave  clear  proof.  Nor  in  this 
either  was  she  unworthy  the  exquisite  delicacy  of 
her  sentiments.  Instead  of  showing  herself  tender 
and  submissive  towards  him  as  so  many  women 
would  have  done  in  her  case,  she  shunned  showing 
any  fondness  in  my  presence  and,  whenever  it  was 
possible,  avoided  the  caresses  that  he  would  have 
given  her.  Sometimes  he  laughingly  asked  her  the 
reason  for  such  severity,  but  she  remained  in- 
flexible. 

Of  her  sense  of  justice  and  the  instinct  that  in- 
spired it  she  gave  witness  more  than  once,  al- 
though it  was  always  tacit.  I  had  gone  to  the 
house  one  morning.  There  was  no  one  in  the 
dining-room  but  herself  and  her  mother.  She  hap- 
pened to  ask  for  a  glass  of  water.  I  took  it  upon 
myself  to  anticipate  the  servant,  went  to  the  side- 
117 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

board,  took  a  goblet  and  a  little  tray,  and  was  about 
to  pour  out  the  water  and  serve  her  when  she  inter- 
rupted me  dryly: 

"  No,  let  it  be.  I  am  not  thirsty  now;  it  was  a 
whim." 

I  was  very  much  crestfallen,  and  even  more  sad- 
dened than  humiliated.  I  cut  short  my  visit  and 
retired.  That  afternoon  I  stayed  at  the  fonda  and 
did  not  go  to  Cabanal  as  usual. 

At  night  I  went  to  the  house  when  they  were 
finishing  supper,  entered  with  a  stern  countenance, 
and  did  not  try  to  glance  at  her.  But  I  saw  plainly 
that  she  looked  at  me,  and  I  wished  her  to  keep 
on  until  I  saw  a  humble  expression  on  her  face. 

In  a  few  moments  she  addressed  me  with  unusual 
amiability,  seeking  to  make  amends.  I  stood  my 
ground  rigidly.  Then  she  said  in  a  clear  voice 
and  with  a  gracious  smile  that  I  can  never  forget: 

"  Captain  Ribot,  will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  pour 
a  little  water  into  one  of  those  goblets  and  bring 
it  to  me?  " 

I  served  her,  smiling.  She  smiled  a  little  too 
before  drinking  it,  and  my  resentment  was  melted 
like  ice  in  the  warmth  of  that  smile. 

Castell  was  always  one  of  the  party  on  our  excur- 
sions to  Cabanal.  Sometimes,  though  rarely,  he 
drove  out  alone  in  one  of  his  traps. 

I  no  longer  doubted  that  he  paid  court  to  Cris- 
tina  and  had  also  observed  the  love  that  I  felt  for 
118 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

her.  But  he  owed  it  to  his  immeasurable  pride 
not  to  seem  to  notice  a  rival  so  little  formidable;  I 
could  not  see  the  slightest  change  in  him.  He 
continued  to  treat  me  with  the  same  refined  cour- 
tesy, not  exempt  from  patronage,  and — why  should 
I  not  say  it? — with  also  a  sort  of  benevolent  com- 
passion. It  is  true  that  Castell  extended  this  com- 
passion towards  all  created  beings,  and  I  think  I 
should  not  be  wrong  in  affirming  that  it  went  be- 
yond our  planet  and  diffused  itself  among  other 
and  distant  stars.  As  a  general  rule,  he  listened 
to  nobody  but  himself;  but  at  times,  if  he  were 
in  the  humor,  he  would  invite  us  to  express  our 
opinions,  making  us  talk  with  the  complacency 
shown  to  children;  listening,  smiling  sweetly  at  our 
nonsensical  chatter  and  our  little  mistakes.  It  was 
a  regular  secondary-school  examination.  When  he 
deigned  to  pry  into  my  limited  field  of  knowledge 
I  could  not  help  fancying  myself  a  microscopic 
insect  that  had  by  chance  fallen  into  his  hands, 
that  he  twirled  and  tortured  between  his  encircling 
fingers. 

They  all  listened  to  him  with  great  deference. 
Marti  ever  showed  himself  proud  of  having  such  a 
friend,  and  believed  in  good  faith  that  neither  in 
Spain  nor  in  foreign  lands  existed  a  man  to  com- 
pare with  him — in  the  world  of  theory,  of  course, 
because  in  practical  matters,  Marti  was  all  there, 
as  I  knew. 

119 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

But  Isabelita,  Cristina's  cousin,  listened  to  him 
with  even  more  absorption.  It  is  impossible  to 
imagine  a  more  complete  attention,  an  attitude 
more  submissive  and  devoted  than  that  of  this  girl 
with  a  profile  like  an  angel,  when  Castell  held 
forth.  Her  pure  and  pearl-like  face  was  turned 
towards  him;  she  sat  perfectly  still  as  if  in  ecstasy; 
the  lashes  of  her  innocent  eyes  did  not  move. 

The  one  who  took  the  least  pleasure  in  the  dis- 
sertations of  the  rich  ship-owner  was,  as  far  as  I 
could  see,  Cristina.  Although  she  forced  herself 
to  hide  it,  I  was  not  long  in  divining  that  the 
science  of  her  husband's  friend  and  associate  did 
not  interest  her.  She  often  grew  absent-minded 
and,  whenever  she  could  find  a  plausible  pretext, 
she  would  leave  the  room.  Can  it  be  supposed 
that  this  lack  of  reverence  for  a  representative  of 
science  lowered  her  in  my  eyes?  I  think  not! 

I  noted  further  that,  although  Cristina  joined 
apparently  the  projects  of  her  husband,  and  never 
contradicted  him  when  he  discussed  them  with 
his  usual  frankness  before  us,  she  showed  lively 
vexation  when  Castell  encouraged  them.  When 
the  millionaire,  therefore,  would  begin  a  pompous 
eulogy  of  Marti,  praising  in  affected  language  his 
clear  sight,  his  decision  and  activity,  Cristina's 
face  would  change;  her  cheeks  would  lose  their 
delicate  rose-color;  her  brow  would  be  knitted,  and 
her  beautiful  eyes  would  take  on  a  strange  fixity. 
120 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Usually  she  could  not  stand  it  to  the  end.  She 
would  get  up  and  leave  the  room  abruptly.  The 
good  Emilio,  intoxicated  with  gratitude  and  pleas- 
ure, took  no  notice  of  this. 

What  a  soul  was  that  of  this  man,  how  noble, 
how  sensitive,  how  generous!  Chance  brought  to 
my  knowledge  a  magnanimous  action  that  raised 
him  still  more  in  my  eyes.  With  the  freedom 
that  he  had  given  me  from  the  first,  I  entered  his 
private  office  one  day  unannounced  at  a  rather  in- 
opportune moment.  His  mother-in-law  sat  sob- 
bing (for  a  change)  in  an  arm-chair,  and  he  with  his 
back  towards  the  door  was  opening  his  safe.  On 
hearing  me  he  turned  and  quickly  shut  the  door 
of  the  safe.  He  seemed  a  little  more  serious  and 
thoughtful  than  usual,  but  the  generous  expres- 
sion of  his  face  had  not  disappeared.  He  greeted 
me,  making  an  effort  to  appear  cheerful;  then  turn- 
ing to  his  mother-in-law  and  putting  one  hand 
upon  her  shoulder,  he  said  affectionately: 

"  Come,  mamma,  there  is  nothing  to  grieve 
about.  Everything  will  be  arranged  this  afternoon, 
without  fail.  Come  now,  go  to  Cristina  and  rest 
a  little.  You  must  not  make  yourself  ill." 

"  Thank  you,  thank  you!  "  murmured  the  suffer- 
ing lady,  without  ceasing  to  weep  and  blow  her 
nose. 

Recovering  finally  at  least  a  part  of  her  ener- 
gies, she  left  the  place,  not  without  giving  me  a 
121 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

strong,  convulsive  grasp  of  the  hand  and  drawing 
her  son-in-law  to  the  door  for  three  or  four  kisses. 
He  shook  his  head  and  said,  smiling: 

"  Poor  woman!  " 

I  gave  him  a  glance  of  interrogation,  not  ven- 
turing to  put  the  question  in  words.  Marti 
shrugged  his  shoulders  and  murmured: 

"  Tss!  It's  the  same  as  always.  Her  son  abuses 
the  bounty  of  this  poor  woman  and  it  gives  her  a 
great  deal  of  trouble." 

As  I  perceived  that  he  did  not  wish  to  go  into 
further  explanations,  I  refrained  from  inquiries, 
and  we  talked  of  other  things.  But  a  moment 
later  Cristina  came  into  the  office,  not  in  a  good 
temper,  and  asked  him: 

"  Mamma  has  been  begging  money  of  you,  hasn't 
she?" 

"  No,  my  girl,"  replied  Marti,  coloring  a  little. 

"Don't  deny  it  to  me,  Emilio.  I  have  known 
all  since  this  morning." 

"  Very  well,  what  of  it?  The  thing  is  not  worth 
wrinkling  this  little  brow,"  he  answered,  touching 
it  tenderly. 

Cristina  remained  silent  and  thoughtful  a  few 
moments. 

"  You  know,"  she  said  at  last  firmly,  "  that  I 

have  never  opposed  your  expenditures  for  Sabas. 

I  have  enjoyed  your  generosity  towards  all,  but 

your  treatment  of  my  brother  has  especially  pleased 

122 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

me.  Yet  I  have  asked  myself  sometimes,  'Will 
this  generosity  of  Emilio  have  really  good  conse- 
quences? Will  it  not  encourage  my  brother  to 
continue  in  his  idle  and  dissipated  habits? '  If  he 
were  alone  in  the  world,  he  might  indulge  in  such 
luxurious  ways  without  much  danger.  When  he 
came  to  want,  you  could,  by  reducing  him  to  strict 
necessities,  keep  him  on  his  feet.  But  he  has  a 
wife,  he  has  children,  and  I  fear  that  they  will  have 
to  bear  the  consequences  of  your  generosity  and  of 
the  habits  which,  thanks  to  your  kindness,  their 
father  does  not  abandon.  And,  too,"  she  added  in 
low  tones  that  trembled  a  little,  "at  present  we 
have  no  great  responsibilities,  but  we  shall  have 
them " 

"  I  believe  you;  we  shall  have  them! "  exclaimed 
Marti.  "  It  looks  to  me  as  if  the  first  of  them 
would  not  be  many  days  in  arriving!  " 

Cristina's  cheeks  colored  swiftly.  Emilio,  chang- 
ing his  tone,  went  over  to  her,  put  his  arm  about 
her  shoulders  affectionately,  and  said  to  her: 

"  You  are  right  in  this,  as  you  are  in  everything 
that  you  say.  You  are  a  hundred  times  more  sensi- 
ble than  I  am.  Perhaps  I  should  have  refused 
Sabas  if  he  had  come  begging  of  me,  because  I 
am  already  a  little  tired  of  his  affairs;  but  your 
mother  comes — when  I  see  her  crying — you  don't 
know  how  that  moves  me." 

Cristina  lifted  to  him  her  eyes  shining  with  im- 
123 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

mense  gratitude,  her  face  quivering  with  feeling; 
fearing  that  she  could  not  control  her  emotion, 
she  suddenly  left  the  room. 

"  Poor  little  thing! "  said  Marti,  smiling  once 
more.  "  She  is  very  right.  Sabas  is  a  bore." 

"  He  gambles,  doesn't  he?  "  I  ventured,  because 
of  the  confidence  that  had  been  shown  me. 

"It  would  be  better  to  say  he  is  skinned  by 
sharpers.  What  a  fellow!  He  has  lost,  and  prom- 
ised to  pay,  five  thousand  pesetas." 

"  He  promises  it,  and  you  have  to  pay  it." 

"Possibly.  But  what  is  to  be  done?  It  is  not 
all  his  fault.  He  has  a  mother  who  is  too  soft." 

"And  a  brother-in-law  who  is  too  kind,"  I 
thought. 

Marti  put  his  arm  across  my  shoulders,  .and  we 
went  thus  to  the  sewing-room  to  find  Cristina  and 
Dona  Amparo.  They  were  both  there,  the  first 
frowning  and  meditative,  the  other  completely 
overcome  by  her  emotions.  Matilde  came  in  pres- 
ently to  breakfast  with  them.  I  perceived  that  she 
was  sad  and  seemed  as  if  ashamed.  Soon  after  two 
ladies  dropped  in  for  an  intimate  call,  and  conver- 
sation cleared  up  the  heavy  atmosphere  of  the 
room. 

Cristina  went  out  for  a  moment  to  attend  to  some 

of  her  domestic  matters,  and  I  noted  that  she  left 

her  handkerchief  forgotten  upon  her  chair.     Then, 

with  the  dissimulation  and  ability  of  an  accom- 

124 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

plished  thief,  I  went  over  to  it,  sat  down  as  if 
absent-mindedly,  and  when  nobody  noticed,  I  took 
the  precious  object  and  hid  it  in  my  pocket.  Cris- 
tina  appeared  again,  and  I  noticed  that  she  glanced 
about  at  all  the  chairs  in  search  of  her  hand- 
kerchief; then  she  shot  a  glance  at  me,  and,  I 
firmly  believe,  guessed  from  my  manner  that  I  had 
it.  Then  not  daring  to  ask  me  for  it  aloud  and  at 
the  same  time  unwilling  to  give  up  and  let  it  pass 
that  she  allowed  me  to  have  it,  she  went  about 
searching  in  all  the  corners  of  the  room,  asking: 
"  Where  can  my  handkerchief  be  ?  " 
Nobody  but  me  observed  it,  because  all  the  rest 
were  absorbed  in  conversation.  At  last  I  saw  her 
sit  down  in  her  chair,  take  up  her  work,  and  go  on 
with  it  in  silence. 

I  went  away  to  luncheon  at  the  fonda,  without 
accepting  their  invitation  to  remain.  I  had  a 
vehement  desire  to  enjoy  my  precious  conquest  by 
myself;  for  I  considered  it  such  in  my.  mad  pre- 
sumption after  she  gave  over  looking  for  it.  Once 
in  my  quarters  and  assured  that  the  door  was  fas- 
tened, and  that  nobody  could  see  me  through  the 
key-hole,  I  snatched  the  kerchief  from  my  pocket 
and  gave  myself  up  to  a  sort  of  madness  which  even 
now  makes  me  blush  when  I  remember  it.  I 
breathed  its  perfume  with  intoxication,  kissed  it 
numberless  times,  pressed  it  to  my  heart,  swearing 
to  be  eternally  faithful,  put  it  away  with  the  pict- 
125 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

ures  of  my  father,  took  it  out  to  kiss  it,  and  put  it 
away  again.  At  last  I  came  to  the  end  of  all 
imaginable  extravagances,  better  suited  to  a  young 
student  of  rhetoric  than  to  the  captain  of  a  steam- 
boat of  three  thousand  tons. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN  the  afternoon  I  was  with  the  family  at  Ca- 
banal  as  usual.  Marti  did  not  accompany  us, 
having  to  attend  to  a  certain  business  matter.  (Did 
it  have  to  do  with  the  five  thousand  pesetas  that  his 
brother-in-law  had  lost?)  At  all  events,  I  was  self- 
ish enough  to  rejoice  at  his  absence.  During  the 
trip  out  and  the  hours  that  we  stayed  at  the  place, 
I  observed  something  in  Cristina's  manner  and 
gestures  that  made  my  heart  tremble  with  joy  and 
hope.  I  cannot  explain  how,  without  her  looking 
at  me  nor  once  speaking  directly  to  me,  I  felt  over- 
whelmed by  a  celestial  happiness,  but  so  it  was. 
We  passed  all  the  afternoon  in  the  summer-house. 
The  ladies  worked  at  their  sewing  or  embroidery. 
I  read  or  made  believe  to  read.  Cristina,  affected 
by  an  unusual  languor,  did  not  rise  from  her  chair 
until  the  moment  of  leaving.  While  the  others 
laughed  and  jested,  I  saw  that  she  kept  silence  and 
was  grave  although  without  any  apparent  cause. 
Her  face  was  slightly  flushed.  My  imagination 
suggested  to  me  the  idea  that  it  was  because  of  the 
thoughts  drifting  through  her  soul  and  the  timidity 
127 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

that  they  inspired.  On  the  dark  and  gloomy  hori- 
zon of  my  life  light  began  to  dawn;  so  my  heart  said 
to  me.  During  that  unforgettable  afternoon,  I  was 
as  happy  as  the  angels  must  be  in  Paradise,  or  the 
author  of  a  drama  when  he  goes  out  on  the  stage 
to  receive  applause  between  the  leading  old  man 
and  young  lady. 

After  dining  at  my  hotel  I  went  to  take  coffee  at 
the  Siglo,  with  the  intention  of  going  thence  to 
Martf's  house.  I  encountered  Sabas  on  entering, 
his  pipe  in  his  mouth,  seated  among  several  of  his 
friends,  whom  he  was  haranguing  in  his  own  solemn 
and  judicial  manner.  He  saluted  me  from  a  dis- 
tance with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  and  presently  see- 
ing that  I  was  alone,  separated  himself  from  the 
group  and  came  to  join  me. 

He  was  in  a  jovial  mood  and  did  not  seem  in  the 
least  cast  down  by  his  folly  of  the  day  before,  nor 
ashamed  of  it.  We  talked  of  our  daily  excursions 
to  Cabanal,  and  I  described  them  as  very  lively  and 
delightful.  He  did  not  care  to  contradict  me 
openly,  but  I  understood  by  his  gestures  more  than 
by  his  words  that  he  looked  upon  all  that  as  child- 
ishness unworthy  a  serious  and  mature  man  like 
himself.  For  one  who  could  appreciate  them, 
Valencia  held  pleasures  more  highly  flavored,  other 
fascinations;  and  he  was  sorry  that  I  was  out  of 
them  without  tasting  them.  He  did  not  say  what 
they  were,  but  from  what  I  already  knew,  it  was 
128 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

readily  to  be  supposed  that  they  had  some  relation 
direct  or  indirect  with  roulette. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  famous  stone  factory?  "  he 
asked  me  in  serious  tones,  although  his  eyes 
gleamed  with  a  malicious  smile. 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  it." 

"  A  fine  business!  And  also  the  celebrated  beer 
distillery?" 

"  Also." 

"  Better  business  yet!  isn't  it?  " 

Then  sounded  in  the  depths  of  his  throat  a 
chuckle  that  could  not  be  uttered  because  at  that 
moment  he  was  earnestly  sucking  his  pipe.  I  was 
confused,  as  if  he  had  said  something  offensive 
about  one  of  my  family,  and  I  responded  vaguely 
that  certain  enterprises  turn  out  well,  and  others 
ill,  and  that  their  fortunes  depend  upon  fortuitous 
circumstances  more  than  upon  the  intelligence  and 
industry  of  whosoever  undertakes  them. 

"  Tell  that  of  others,  but  not  of  my  brother-in- 
law,"  he  answered  with  sarcastic  gravity.  "  Emi- 
lio's  enterprises  are  always  brilliant,  because  his  is 
a  practical  genius,  essentially  practical." 

"  He  seems  to  me  a  very  clever  man,"  I  remarked 
with  some  embarrassment. 

"  Not  at  all;  not  at  all;  I  will  not  admit  a  bit  of 
it.  His  is  a  practical,  and  his  friend  CastelPs  a 
theoretical  genius." 

"  We  have  already  talked  a  little  about  that,"  I 
9  129 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

replied  smiling,  to  turn  his  scalpel  away  from  the 
unpleasant  subject. 

"  They  are  both  geniuses,  each  one  in  his  own 
fashion,  the  only  geniuses  that  we  have  in  Valen- 
cia." 

I  did  not  know  what  to  say.  That  sarcastic  tone 
annoyed  me  extremely.  Sabas  must  have  observed 
this,  because  exchanging  it  at  last  for  another  more 
serious,  he  set  himself  to  make,  as  usual,  a  careful 
and  reasonable  analysis  of  his  brother-in-law's 
conduct.  It  was  something  to  see  and  to  admire, 
the  gravity,  the  aplomb,  the  air  of  immense  supe- 
riority with  which  that  man  talked  over  others,  the 
penetration  with  which  he  uncovered  the  hidden 
motives  of  all  their  acts,  the  incontrovertible  force 
of  his  arguments,  the  sorrowful  divination  with 
which  he  formulated  them.  It  was  such  that  I 
could  not  do  less  than  acknowledge  to  myself  that 
every  one  of  his  observations  hit  the  mark;  but  al- 
though I  knew  this,  I  was  both  astounded  and  in- 
dignant while  I  listened.  I  tried  to  hold  the  oppo- 
site side,  but  I  could  see  that  this  only  served  to 
make  clearer  the  perspicacity  and  conclusiveness  of 
his  judgments,  and  when  I  had  taken  my  coffee  and 
smoked  a  cigar,  I  got  away  from  him. 

"For  all  that,"  I  said,  shaking  his  hand,  "I 
have  no  room  for  doubt  that  Emilio  is  a  very  good 
fellow,  and  full  of  talent." 

"Agreed!"  he  responded,  returning  the  hand- 
ISO 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

shaking,  "  but  confess  that  a  little  common  sense 
would  be  useful  to  him!  " 

I  left  the  cafe  angry  and  miserable.  I  was  very 
glad  to  get  away  from  the  sight  of  the  dolt  who  had 
spoiled  my  morning.  I  directed  my  steps  slowly 
towards  the  house  of  Marti,  but  on  the  way  my 
thoughts  took  a  sadly  audacious  direction.  I  was 
filled  with  a  moral  suffering,  that  had  since  morn- 
ing afflicted  me;  this,  mingling  with  my  flattering 
hopes,  made  me  so  that  I  had  not  strength  to  mount 
the  steps,  and  in  front  of  the  door  I  turned  about, 
went  to  my  hotel,  and  went  to  bed. 

That  was  for  me  a  memorable  night!  As  soon 
as  I  had  put  out  the  light  I  understood  that  it  was 
going  to  be  long  indeed  before  I  could  woo  sleep 
to  come  to  me.  A  whirl  of  wild  thoughts  filled  my 
brain,  disordering,  agonizing.  The  lovely  vision  of 
Cristina  came  in  the  centre  of  all,  but  did  not  suc- 
ceed in  calming  their  ardor,  nor  controlling  them. 
In  vain  fancy  called  up  the  scene  of  the  hand- 
kerchief and  that  adorable  face,  softened  and 
moved,  the  sight  whereof  had  made  me  happy  all 
day  long.  In  vain  I  invoked  the  celestial  felicity 
that  sooner  or  later  must  descend  upon  me. 
Whether  it  was  illusion  or  reality,  I  thought  that 
the  fruit  was  ripening,  and  already  responded  with 
delicate  tremors  to  the  continued  shaking  that  my 
hand  gave  the  bough.  Perhaps  it  would  be  long  in 
falling  into  my  lap.  But  I  ought  to  confess  that 
181 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

this  alluring  future  possibility  did  not  leave  me 
peaceful  and  joyous  as  I  had  hoped.  I  tried  to  be- 
come so  by  closing  my  eyes,  but  this  did  not  do  it. 
My  eyes  were  only  the  more  widely  open.  My 
forehead  burned  my  hand  when  I  passed  it  across 
it.  I  experienced  a  strange  restlessness  that  obliged 
me  to  change  my  position  constantly.  The  curious 
suffering  whose  first  slight  stings  I  had  felt  during 
the  day,  now  pierced  me  fiercely  and  intolerably. 

This  suffering  was  nothing  else  but  remorse.  To 
be  really  happy  it  is  a  necessity  that  a  man  should 
be  contented  with  himself,  and  I  was  not.  Another 
image,  melancholy  and  grief-stricken,  followed  al- 
ways after  that  of  Cristina  in  the  interminable  pro- 
cession of  my  thoughts,  disturbing  the  happiness 
of  which  I  had  had  a  glimpse.  It  was  that  of  Marti. 
Poor  Emilio!  so  good,  so  generous,  so  innocent! 
His  mother-in-law  wrung  money  out  of  him  and 
would  have  ruined  him  to  support  her  son  in  his 
idleness;  his  friend,  whom  he  looked  upon  as  a 
brother,  deceived  him;  his  brother-in-law,  upon 
whom  he  heaped  kindnesses,  ridiculed  him  pub- 
licly. He  had  no  heart  near  him  that  was  loving 
and  faithful  except  that  of  his  wife.  And  I,  an 
outsider,  to  whom  he  had  offered  so  much  frank 
and  affectionate  hospitality,  I  would  snatch  it  away! 
The  idea  weighed  down  my  heart,  made  me  feel 
myself  disgraced.  In  vain  I  forced  myself  to 
picture  in  lovely  colors  what  it  would  be  to  be 
132 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

the  lover  of  Cristina,  to  taste  of  the  intense  pleasure 
of  passion,  and  the  joy  of  conquest.  In  vain  I 
tried  to  make  my  fault  seem  less  by  recalling  to 
mind  the  shortcomings  of  others.  In  my  ears 
sounded  ever  a  voice  assuring  me  that  to  go  on 
would  be  to  be  unhappy.  And  my  quivering  nerves 
kept  me  tossing  between  the  sheets  with  my  eyes 
ever  more  and  more  wide  open. 

The  hours  went  by,  sounding  slowly,  sonorously, 
and  sadly  from  the  cathedral  clock.  I  tried  ear- 
nestly to  shut  my  eyes  and  go  to  sleep,  but  fiery,  in- 
visible fingers  pressed  open  my  eyelids.  At  last  I 
bounced  out  of  bed,  struck  a  light,  dressed  myself, 
and  began  walking  the  floor.  And  when  I  had 
paced  back  and  forth  for  a  while,  searching  the 
most  secret  corners  of  my  heart,  I  understood  what 
must  of  necessity  be  done.  I  had  recourse  to 
chloral,  more  chloral  than  I  had  ever  taken  in 
nights  like  this  of  sleeplessness  and  struggle.  I 
renounced  my  desires  once  for  all,  my  hopes,  the 
enjoyments  of  love  and  the  flatteries  of  self-love. 
I  entered  into  my  spirit  with  a  lash  and  drove  from 
it  the  perfidy  of  will  which,  for  the  few  pleasures 
that  it  gives  us,  causes  us  so  many  burning  wounds. 
This  cost  me  labor,  for  it  hid  itself  away  in  all  sorts 
of  corners,  obliging  me  to  pursue  it  closely,  leaving 
it  no  point  to  stop  upon.  But  at  last  I  succeeded  in 
driving  it  out  in  sober  earnest,  and  I  stopped  in 
the  middle  of  the  room,  tired  out,  perspiring  like 
133 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

one  who  has  performed  some  heavy  task,  but  at 
peace.  I  undressed  again,  lay  down  on  the  bed, 
and  the  winged  god,  son  of  sleep  and  night,  bore  me 
away  in  his  arms  to  the  mysterious  palace  of  his 
father. 

When  I  awoke,  the  sun,  already  high  in  the 
heavens,  was  shedding  its  golden  rays  upon  the 
city.  As  soon  as  I  had  dressed  myself  I  went  di- 
rectly to  the  house  of  Emilio.  The  husband  and 
wife  were  together  in  the  sewing-room,  and  with 
them  were  Dona  Amparo,  Isabelita,  Dona  Clara, 
a  dressmaker,  and  a  domestic.  The  first  question 
that  was  asked  me  was  where  I  had  been  the  night 
before.  I  excused  myself  with  a  headache.  Cris- 
tina,  who  was  embroidering  near  the  balcony,  did 
not  lift  her  eyes,  but  I  noted  on  her  face  the  same 
expression  of  gentle  compassion  that  she  had  worn 
during  the  episode  of  the  handkerchief.  And,  too, 
while  I  was  talking  with  the  others  I  saw  that  she 
stole  a  swift  and  timid  glance  at  me. 

I  improved  a  moment  when  all  were  occupied, 
and  approached  her.  Drawing  the  handkerchief 
from  my  pocket,  and  in  a  voice  so  low  that  the 
company  could  not  hear  me,  yet  not  low  enough  to 
make  any  secrets  suspected,  I  said: 

"  I  have  carelessly  kept  a  handkerchief  of  yours, 
thinking  that  it  was  my  own.  Until  I  got  home 
I  did  not  perceive  my  mistake.  Here  'tis;  take  it." 

She  lifted  her  head  and  gave  me  a  look  of  intense 
134 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

surprise;  her  face  flushed  a  vivid  carmine;  she  took 
with  a  trembling  hand  the  handkerchief  that  I  held 
out  to  her,  and  again  bent  her  brow  over  her  em- 
broidery frame. 

After  that,  tell  me  frankly  if  I  have  not  the  right 
to  laugh  at  Caesar,  Alexander,  Epaminondas,  and 
at  all  the  heroes  of  pagan  antiquity  in  general!  At 
least  I  live  in  the  intimate  conviction  (and  this 
thought  makes  me  vastly  greater  in  my  own  eyes) 
that  if  Epaminondas  had  found  himself  in  my  shoes 
he  would  not  have  returned  the  handkerchief. 

I  turned  anew  to  the  group  and  joined  the  chat 
with  animation,  although,  perhaps,  it  was  an  ex- 
cessive animation.  My  soul  was  profoundly  moved 
and  it  should  be  declared  among  these  frank  con- 
fessions that,  although  I  felt  no  pride  in  my  hero- 
ism, neither  did  I  experience  that  sweet  content 
that  the  moralists  say  always  accompanies  good 
actions. 

I  lunched  with  them  and  we  went  afterwards  to 
Cabanal,  where  the  afternoon  passed  as  merrily  as 
ever.  But  my  gayety  was  only  feigned;  although  I 
wore  myself  out  pretending  it,  and  to  divert  my- 
self, I  am  sure  I  cut  a  sorry  figure. 

Cristina  did  not  care  to  hide  her  preoccupation. 
All  the  afternoon  she  was  thoughtful  and  serious, 
even  to  the  point  of  making  herself  remarked. 

When  night  came,  praise  God!  I  would  have  op- 
portunity to  turn  the  key  that  locked  up  my 
135 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

thoughts  and  weighed  down  my  soul,  and  ease  my 
pain  a  little. 

It  chanced  that  Marti  had  brought  from  his 
library  the  works  of  Larra,  and  he  read  to  us,  to 
pass  the  time,  one  of  his  most  delicious  pieces,  en- 
titled "  El  Castellano  Viejo."  We  all  laughed  and 
applauded  the  gifts  and  ingenuity  of  the  great 
satirical  writer.  From  this  we  went  on  to  talk  of 
his  life  and  his  tragic  end  in  the  flower  of  his  youth, 
for  he  was  not  yet  twenty-eight  years  of  age  when 
he  voluntarily  quitted  this  world. 

"  And  why  did  he  kill  himself?  "  asked  Matilde. 

"  For  that  which  men  usually  kill  themselves, 
for — a  woman!  "  answered  Marti,  laughing. 

"I  believe  you!  When  they  don't  kill  them- 
selves on  account  of  money,"  exclaimed  the  young 
wife,  showing  herself  a  trifle  annoyed. 

"  That  kind  have  not  wholly  lost  their  senses, 
but  there  are  many  more  of  the  first  sort,"  he  re- 
turned, laughing. 

"  Thanks,  very  much.  And  was  she  married  or 
single — this  one  who  interested  him?" 

"  Married.  It  is  said  that  he  maintained  rela 
tions  with  her  during  the  absence  of  her  husband, 
that  his  return  was  announced,  and  that  then  she, 
repentant  or  timid,  made  known  to  him  her  reso- 
lution to  break  off  with  him.  The  grief  of  Larra 
was  so  severe  that  he  was  not  able  to  bear  it,  so  he 
shot  himself." 

186 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  But  she  did  right,  and  he  was  very  stupid  to 
leave  life  when  he  was  so  young  and  when  there  are 
so  many  women  to  choose  from  and  marry." 

"  He  was  already  married,"  said  Marti. 

"  He  was  married! "  exclaimed  the  women  in- 
dignantly and  all  together. 

"  And  had  several  children." 

"  Then  he  should  be  quartered!  He  ought  to  be 
hung!  The  scoundrel  should  be  cast  out  with  the 
other  refuse!  It  would  serve  him  right!  " 

The  wrath  of  the  ladies  made  us  laugh.  Some- 
one observed  that  she  also  was  married,  and  that 
this  fact  had  not  seemed  to  irritate  them  so  much. 

"  Because  women  are  weak  creatures.  Because 
women  do  not  run  after  men.  Because  they  are 
deceived  by  honeyed  words.  Because  men  rouse 
their  compassion,  pretending  to  be  mad  and  des- 
perate! " 

"  You  are  right,"  I  said,  to  calm  them.  "  The 
one  who  resists  ought  not  to  have  the  same  re- 
sponsibility, if  failing  at  last,  as  the  one  who  makes 
the  attack.  But  coming  to  the  concrete  example 
of  which  we  were  talking,  my  opinion  is  that  Larra 
gave  more  proofs  of  suicidal  egotism  than  of  high 
and  delicate  love.  If  he  had  really  loved  this 
woman,  he  would  have  respected  her  penitence, 
would  have  considered  her  all  the  more  worthy  of 
adoration,  and  would  have  found  in  his  own  heart 
and  in  the  nobleness  of  the  adored  being  resources 
1U7 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

to  make  life  worth  living.  But  to  leave  life,  to 
deprive  his  children  of  a  father  and  his  country 
of  a  true  Spaniard,  makes  me,  at  least,  think  that 
he  did  not  love  his  beloved  for  the  lovable  qualities 
heaven  had  bestowed  upon  her,  but  for  his  own 
sake." 

The  ladies  joyfully  agreed  with  me.  This 
roused  Castell's  pride  of  wisdom;  or  perhaps  he 
only  gave  way  to  his  ever-present  desire  to  instruct 
his  fellows,  believing  himself  infallible.  He  leaned 
back  in  his  chair,  and  holding  my  attention  by  his 
little  finger  glittering  with  rings,  delivered  a  com- 
plete course  in  philosophy.  His  was  a  well-linked 
chain  of  reasoning,  elegant  sentences,  a  great  abun- 
dance of  psychological,  biological,  and  sociological 
facts — all  to  show  that  "man  is  irrevocably  fettered 
to  his  own  sensations; "  that  "  no  other  sincere 
motive  exists  except  that  of  pleasing  them;  "  "  the 
world  is  a  battle  without  a  truce;"  "struggle  is 
the  inevitable  condition  for  the  preservation  and 
upholding  of  the  great  machine  of  the  universe," 
and  so  on. 

"  Without  struggle,  friend  Ribot,"  he  concluded, 
"  we  should  return  to  the  condition  of  inert  matter. 
Combat  trains  us  and  strengthens  us;  it  is  the  sole 
guarantee  of  progress.  He  who,  led  away  by  a  mad 
notion,  strives  to  suppress  antagonism  towards 
other  creatures  attacks  the  very  root  of  existence 
and  attempts  to  violate  the  most  sacred  of  its  laws." 
138 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Oh,  yes!  "  I  exclaimed  with  emotion.  "  He 
would  be  mad,  but  I  affirm  that  he  would  experi- 
ence immense  pleasure  in  attacking  this  sacred  law. 
I  should  like  nothing  better  than  to  get  up  some 
morning  and  smash  it  into  bits.  I  have  passed  the 
greater  part  of  my  life  upon  an  element  where  this 
sacred  law  demands  a  fervent  worship.  In  the 
depths  of  the  sea  the  creatures  devour  one  another 
with  indefatigable  devotion;  the  greater  religiously 
swallow  up  the  less.  You  may  rest  assured,  Senor 
Castell,  that  the  great  machine  of  the  universe  will 
not  suffer  any  damage  from  their  sins.  But  I  con- 
fess frankly  that  I  have  never  become  accustomed 
to  these  proceedings,  wherein  marine  animals  have 
the  advantage  over  terrestrial  ones.  Some  nights 
in  summer,  on  the  bridge  of  my  boat,  I  have  asked 
myself:  'Is  it  possible  that  man  is  obliged  to  imi- 
tate this  ferocious  struggle  everlastingly,  and  be 
forever  implacable  to  all  who  are  below  him?  Will 
there  not  come  a  day  when  we  will  gladly  renounce 
it,  when  compassion  will  rise  above  interest,  and 
the  pain  that  we  cause  not  only  to  our  fellow-beings, 
but  to  any  living  creature,  become  unendurable 
tons?'" 

"  Dreams,  nothing  more!  Nor  are  you  the  first 
who  has  followed  this  chimera." 

"  Well,  then,  let  us  dream! "  I  cried,  with  more 
passion  than  I  suspected  myself  capable  of,  "  let 
us  dream  that  this  sad  reality  is  no  more  than  an 
139 


The  Joy  of"  Captain  Ribot 

appearance,  a  horrible  nightmare  from  which  per- 
haps the  human  spirit  will  one  day  awaken.  And 
meanwhile  so  much! — let  every  man  manufacture 
his  magic  world  and  travel  through  it,  compan- 
ioned by  love  and  friendship  and  virtue, by  all  those 
beautiful  visions  that  make  life  joyful.  For  life, 
Senor  Castell,  however  balanced  and  physiological 
it  may  be,  is  a  sad  and  insipid  thing  when  the  im- 
agination is  not  moved  to  adorn  it.  If  capricious 
fortune  should  ever  drag  me,  like  Larra,  into  being 
enamored  of  a  woman  who  belonged  to  another  " 
(here  my  voice  did  not  change  in  the  least),  "  I 
should  not  perfidiously  attempt  to  gain  her  affec- 
tion away  from  her  husband,  to  win  pleasure  or  joy. 
At  least,  I  should  not  hesitate  to  strike  down  my 
own  joy  pitilessly.  I  should  rather  try  to  make  use 
of  my  poor  imagination,  as  great  Petrarch  made  use 
of  his  divine  one,  to  love  her,  to  keep  her  image 
sacred  in  the  depths  of  my  heart,  to  give  her  un- 
selfish adoration;  and  my  life,  by  contact  with  this 
pure  love,  would  gain  elevation  and  nobility." 

From  the  beginning  of  our  talk  I  had  felt  the 
eyes  of  Cristina  resting  upon  me.  Now  I  saw  her 
rise  hastily  and  go  to  the  piano  to  conceal  her  emo- 
tion. Dona  Clara,  Matilde,  and  Isabelita  ap- 
plauded. Emilio,  laughing,  threw  his  arms  about 
my  neck. 

"  What  warmth,  what  enthusiasm,  Captain!  I 
am  a  man  essentially  practical,  and  not  in  the  least 
140 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

able  to  argue  with  Enrique;  but  you  have  answered 
him,  and  said  things  very  agreeable,  and  very  fine, 
and,  what  is  rarer,  you  know  how  to  say  them  very 
well." 

This  was  the  truth,  in  spite  of  my  modesty.  It 
was  the  first  and  only  time  in  my  life  that  I  felt 
myself  an  orator.  And  if  in  that  moment  the  di- 
rectors of  the  Athenaeum  at  Madrid  had  invited 
me  there,  I  think  I  should  not  have  minded  giving 
in  the  capital  a  lecture  on  "  The  Future  of  the  Latin 
Eaces,"  or  any  other  topic  however  grand! 


141 


CHAPTEE   IX. 

FROM  that  day  her  attitude  towards  me  changed 
materially.  She  showed  herself  less  diffident 
and  distrustful;  she  did  not  seek  so  carefully  to 
avoid  looking  me  in  the  face.  When  I  entered  she 
did  not  suddenly  turn  serious  as  she  used.  Little  by 
little  her  freedom  of  manner  increased,  making  her 
cordial,  and  affectionate  too,  within  the  bounds  of 
her  reserved  temperament.  Her  delicacy  hindered 
her  from  recompensing  me  in  words  for  what  I  had 
uttered  in  her  presence;  but  she  used  her  ingenuity 
to  find  a  way  to  make  me  understand  that  she  ap- 
proved of  me. 

One  afternoon  there  was  talk  of  certain  things 
that  had  been  bought  and  left  forgotten  in  a  shop. 
Marti  wished  to  send  a  servant  for  them.  She  said 
with  apparent  indifference: 

"  Captain  Ribot,  do  you  not  go  through  the  Calle 
de  San  Vicento?  Then  do  me  the  favor  to  get 
this  parcel  and  bring  it  to  me  to-night." 

I  was  overwhelmed  with  delight.  At  night 
when  I  delivered  it  to  her  she  received  it  with  more 
indifference  than  ever. 

"Thanks!"  she  said  dryly, without  looking  at  me. 
142 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

It  did  not  matter.  I  was  sure  she  had  given 
me  a  reward.  I  felt  happy  and  peaceful. 

But  next  day,  after  this  small  bounty  and  grateful 
success,  adverse  fate  had  prepared  for  me  a  graver 
alarm  than  I  had  ever  experienced  in  my  life  of 
peril  and  hazard.  Neither  when  I  ran  aground  in 
the  Eio  de  la  Plata,  nor  when  the  sea  knocked 
away  the  bridge  and  half  our  masts  in  the  English 
Channel,  did  I  feel  my  heart  so  constricted  by  any 
sudden  encounter.  The  agent  to  furnish  me  with 
this  most  cruel  trial  was  Dona  Amparo.  We  had 
been  chatting  in  this  lady's  sewing-room,  Cristina 
and  I.  While  they  worked  I  had  been  turning 
over  an  album  of  portraits  of  all  of  the  family  and 
many  of  their  friends.  I  inquired,  and  Dona  Am- 
paro told  me,  who  the  originals  were.  Cristina 
remained  silent. 

"  Who  is  this  charming  child?  "  I  asked,  gazing 
at  the  likeness  of  a  little  girl  of  ten  or  twelve  years. 
"  What  beautiful  eyes!  " 

"  Don't  you  recognize  her?     It  is  Cristina." 

"Ah!"  I  exclaimed,  surprised.  And,  looking 
at  her,  I  observed  that  she  was  crimson. 

"  She  was  then  in  school.  Wasn't  she  very 
lovely?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  I  stammered. 

"Mamma,  don't  say  such  absurd  things.     She 
looks  like  a  picked  chicken! "  exclaimed  the  one 
under  discussion,  laughing. 
143 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

'  "Like  a  picked  chicken! "  cried  the  mother  in- 
dignantly; "you  were  plump  as  possible.  From 
that  time  you  have  done  nothing  but  lose  ground. 
I  would  give  something  to  see  you  now  as  you  were 
then.  And  Ribot  will  say  the  same." 

"  Senora,"  I  murmured,  although  in  confusion, 
"  no  doubt  she  was  very  beautiful  at  that  time,  but 
I  think  that  the  present  is  better  worth  while." 

Cristina  blushed  more  yet,  and  bent  over  her 
work  serious  and  silent.  Her  mother  did  not 
choose  to  drop  the  subject.  I  did  not  venture  to 
contradict  her  openly;  I  only  uttered  monosyllables 
or  phrases  of  doubtful  interpretation.  At  last  we 
gave  up  this  conversation,  so  dangerous  to  me.  We 
were  told  that  the  hairdresser  had  come,  and  Cris- 
tina went  to  her  room. 

I  continued  turning  over  the  album,  and  Dona 
Amparo  went  on  moving  back  and  forth  the  ivory 
needle  of  her  lace- work.  We  preserved  silence;  but 
three  or  four  times,  on  lifting  my  eyes,  I  observed 
that  she  was  looking  at  me  with  irritating  per- 
sistence. Finally  I  could  see  that  she  laid  down 
her  work,  doubtless  to  look  at  me  more  to  her 
liking. 

"  Eibot,"  she  uttered  in  a  low  voice. 

I  thought  it  well  to  seem  deaf. 

"  Tss!  Ribot." 

"  What  did  you  say,  senora?  "  I  asked,  pretend- 
ing to  come  out  of  my  great  abstraction. 
144 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Look  me  in  the  face." 

"How?     I  do  not  understand." 

"  Will  you  look  me  in  the  face?  " 

As  I  had  not  been  doing  anything  else,  this  peti- 
tion would  have  been  tremendously  absurd  if  it 
had  not  been  even  more  disquieting. 

"  Now,  move  your  chair  a  little  nearer." 

This  new  demand  appeared  to  me  much  more 
disquieting.  I  drew  up,  none  the  less,  according 
to  orders,  dragging  the  chair  with  an  ill-omened 
squeak.  Adopting  a  tranquil  and  unembarrassed 
air,  distinctly  contrary  to  what  would  have  suited 
me  at  that  instant,  I  waited  for  what  it  was  she  had 
to  say  to  me.  Dona  Amparo  gazed  at  me  smiling, 
and  then,  with  a  deep  look,  she  said: 

"  Ribot,  you  are  in  love  with  my  daughter  Cris- 
tina! " 

I  grew  pale,  then  crimson;  afterwards  other 
shades  of  yellow,  green,  and  blue.  Indeed,  I  think 
my  face  was  a  rainbow  for  the  space  of  several 
seconds. 

"  Senora!  I!  How  can  you  suppose  it?  On 
my  life,  what  a  notion!  What  an  idea!  " 

Dona  Amparo,  on  seeing  me  in  such  a  terrible 
state  of  agitation,  became  frightened,  and  turned 
pale  also.  She  reached  out  immediately  for  her 
smelling-bottle;  with  one  hand  she  held  up  my 
head,  and  with  the  other  put  it  under  my  nostrils. 
I  was  given  salts  to  smell  in  such  a  moment  as  that! 
10  145 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

I  took  my  bitter  cup  as  best  I  could,  thanked  her, 
and,  with  smothered  words  and  faltering  tongue, 
ascribed  my  emotion  to  my  natural  surprise.  The 
accusation  was  so  grave  that  really 

Dona  Amparo  smiled  benevolently,  doubtless  to 
calm  me,  and  would  not  consent  that  we  should  say 
another  word  before  I  took  a  drop  of  ether  to  for- 
tify me.  I  swallowed  it  not  without  difficulty,  for 
my  throat  was  constricted  so  that  I  was  scarcely 
able  to  breathe.  Then,  to  mollify  the  just  indig- 
nation of  this  lady,  I  returned  to  my  discomfited 
and  incoherent  protestations  against  such  a  mon- 
strous supposition. 

I  in  love!  How  could  it  be  possible  that  I 
should  have  the  hardihood,  the  audacity?  Her 
daughter  was  a  model  of  all  the  virtues.  Nobody 
would  have  the  rashness  to  offend  her  with  other 
sentiments  than  those  of  respect  and  admiration — 
I  least  of  all,  a  friend  of  Marti,  who  was  such  a 
gentleman,  so  loyal,  who  had  given  me  so  many 
proofs  of  unmerited  esteem,  etc.,  etc. 

"  All  this  is  very  well,  Ribot,"  declared  Dona 
Amparo,  emotionally  sniffing  her  smelling-salts, 
"  but  this  does  not  hinder  you  from  being  on  fire, 
mad,  lost,  for  my  daughter." 

"You  deceive  yourself,  senora.  I  assure  you 
that  you " 

"Come,  confess  yourself,"  she  said,  putting 
one  hand  on  my  shoulder,  and  looking  at  me 
140 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

with  a  smilingly  mischievous  face :  "  nobody  can 
hear." 

"  Senora,  for  God's  sake! " 

"  Confess,  sinner!  Confess  yourself!  "  and  she 
gave  a  gentle  and  affectionate  little  pull  at  my 
beard. 

I  was  terrified,  dreading  something  decidedly 
unpleasant. 

"  Let  us  keep  the  secret  between  us  two.  You 
are  in  love  with  Cristina,  as  Castell  has  been  for 
some  time." 

"  Enough  of  this! "  I  said,  trying  to  find  a  way 
to  escape. 

"  He  is  a  much  worse  rake,  and,  between  the  two, 
frankly  I  prefer  you." 

I  was  stupefied.  What  was  it  that  this  senora 
preferred?  Why  was  she  talking  to  me  in  this 
manner?  Where  was  she  going  to  stop? 

"  Isn't  it  true  that  Cristina  is  very  lovely?  "  she 
went  on  with  the  same  flippancy.  "  She  is  such  an 
interesting  type,  of  such  delicacy!  It  is  not  strange 
that  you  should  become  enamored  of  her.  Of 
course,  I  will  not  have  her  talked  about." 

"  Senora! " 

"  No!  I  know  what  you  would  say!  She  is  the 
best  of  creatures,  virtuous,  incapable  of  failing 
her  husband.  Further,  Emilio  has  no  equal,  so 
much  affection,  so  much  loyalty,  so  splendid!  He 
adores  his  wife.  I  am  as  proud  of  him  as  if  he 
147 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

were  my  own  son.  I  would  not  consent,  for  any- 
thing in  the  world,  that  he  should  have  the  least 
trouble." 

"  He  will  not  have  any  on  my  account,  make 
yourself  easy,"  I  ventured  to  say. 

"  That  is  honorable  in  you,  Ribot,"  she  replied, 
pressing  my  hand.  "  You  are  very  good,  enough 
better  than  that  rascal  of  a  Castell,"  she  added, 
smiling  sweetly.  "  And,  truly,  you  could  not  do  less 
than  be  fond  of  Emilio.  He  is  so  good.  I  always 
find  him  so  affectionate  towards  me.  But  who  can 
blame  any  poor  fellow  for  falling  in  love!  The 
wrong  is  in  murmuring  soft  nothings  in  the  ear  of 
Cristina  when  Emilio  is  not  looking.  We  will  sup- 
pose that  they  are  foolish  things,  that  she  has  eyes 
like  this  and  a  skin  like  that.  But  that  is  not 
right.  Emilio  is  his  best  friend,  and  if  he  sus- 
pected, he  would  be  disturbed.  You,  Ribot,  are 
much  more  respectful.  You  would  not  let  your- 
self gaze,  except  by  stealth.  But  what  eyes  he 
makes  at  her!  Come,  now,  let  us  see,  sinner,  did 
you  fall  in  love  at  Gijon  or  here?  " 

"  I  beg  of  you,  senora — I — I  feel  so  much  upset, 
I  must  ask  you  to  allow  me  to  retire." 

"  How  reserved  you  are,  Ribot!  Well,  this 
pleases  me.  Men  of  few  words  are  those  who  best 
know  how  to  care.  But  with  me  you  ought  not  to 
be  so  timid.  I  know  the  affection  you  have  vowed 
her.  Open  your  heart  to  me,  so  that  I  can  do 
148 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

everything  possible  to  console  it.     To  whom  better 
than  me  can  you  unbosom  yourself?  " 

"  A  thousand  thanks,  senora.  Permit  me  to  go. 
At  present  I  feel  that  I  should  not  be  able  to  say 
anything  in  reason." 

"  I  understand  you!  I  understand  you,  dear 
Eibot! "  declared  Dona  Amparo,  pressing  one  of 
my  hands  with  emotion  between  both  her  own. 
"  You  are  like  me,  exceedingly  sensitive,  exceed- 
ingly emotional.  Don't  you  want  another  drop  of 
ether?  Neither  you  nor  I  is  fit  for  this  world.  I 
cannot  bear  to  see  anyone  suffer.  Now  here  you 
see  me,  me  who,  in  spite  of  my  adoration  for  my 
son-in-law,  for  whom  I  would  willingly  give  my 
life,  am  dissolved  in  tears  at  seeing  you  suffering  on 
account  of  my  daughter.  I  am  weeping  like  mad." 

And  truly  Dona  Amparo  did  not  in  this  moment 
malign  herself. 

"  Frankly,  Eibot,"  she  went  on  rackingly,  "  if 
it  were  possible  for  Cristina  to  care  for  you  without 
troubling  Emilio,  I  would  myself  go  and  intercede 
for  you." 

"  Thank  you,  thank  you,"  I  murmured,  pressing 
her  hand  before  I  got  mine  away. 

"  Believe  me,  you  are  as  dear  to  me  as  a  son,  and 
I  would  give  something  if " 

Here  her  voice  strangled  in  her  throat,  and  I 
improved  the  precious  opportunity  to  stride  with 
tragic  footstep  from  my  scene  of  trial. 
149 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

I  went  out  in  indescribable  confusion.  I  felt 
angry,  wrathful  at  such  a  woman,  who  with  so 
much  frivolity  and  folly  lifted  the  veil  of  the  most 
delicate  secrets,  the  deepest  intimacies  of  her  fam- 
ily life.  Between  my  teeth  I  called  her  coarse, 
imbecile,  a  bad  mother.  My  anger  carried  me  so 
far  as  to  accuse  her  of  an  inclination  to  trade  upon 
her  child's  attractions,  of  having  been  born  for  the 
part  of  a  Cekstina.  Yet  little  by  little  I  calmed 
myself,  and  with  calmness  arrived  at  last  at  justice. 
Dona  Amparo  was  absolutely  idiotic,  of  this  there 
was  no  doubt;  but  she  was  not  a  bad  woman.  Hers 
was  a  heart  that  spread  itself  like  butter  over  the 
first  comer.  It  was  necessary  to  her  to  be  looked 
after  and  petted  like  a  child  or  a  dog,  and  like 
them  she  knew  no  difference  between  the  hands 
that  bestowed  caresses.  Reflecting  thus,  my  spirit 
was  little  by  little  inspired  with  less  wrathful  sen- 
timents; but  I  could  not  help  thinking,  all  the 
same,  that  if  the  foregoing  conversation  should 
become  known  to  Cristina,  she  would  fall  dead  of 
shame. 

I  encountered  her  in  the  office  with  her  husband 
and  Castell.  Emilio,  who  was  beginning  to  or- 
ganize and  get  under  way  his  famous  project  for 
putting  canals  through  the  province  of  Almeria, 
was  in  an  excellent  humor.  I  suspected  that  Cas- 
tell had  finally  facilitated  the  matter  with  the 
needful.  Emilio  was  babbling  away,  chaffing  his 
150 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

friend  affectionately  about  his  scepticism  and  theo- 
ries, and  his  apathy  towards  business.  If  he  had  Cas- 
tell's  means  at  his  disposal,  he  would  undertake  to 
become  the  richest  man  in  Spain,  at  the  same  time 
giving  bread  away  to  many  families  and  furthering 
the  progress  of  the  nation.  When  I  entered,  the 
torrent  of  his  chaffing  was  diverted  to  me,  and  he 
threatened  to  marry  me  off  within  a  period  of  not 
more  than  two  months.  Then  he  began  talking  to 
me  about  his  project.  As  soon  as  the  great  family 
event  we  were  all  hoping  for  had  come  off,  he 
would  go  to  Almeria  to  hasten  the  preparation  for 
the  canal.  He  drew  from  the  desk  a  lot  of  port- 
folios and  showed  me  the  plans,  explaining  details, 
and  trying  to  stir  up  in  me  the  same  enthusiasm 
that  animated  him.  I  gave  him  a  religious  atten- 
tion, but  only  in  appearance.  I  really  lost  not  one 
movement  of  Castell's  while  I  looked  over  the 
papers,  for  I  suspected  him.  I  saw  him  manage 
skilfully  to  get  near  Cristina,  who  with  one  foot  on 
the  balcony  sill  was  turning  over  a  book.  When 
he  got  near  her,  under  pretext  of  examining  the 
book  she  held,  I  observed  that  he  brought  his  cheek 
near  hers  until  it  almost  touched;  and  although 
his  back  was  towards  me  and  I,  of  course,  could 
not  see  his  lips  move,  I  knew  that  he  was  whis- 
pering something  to  her.  The  lady  moved  her 
head  abruptly  away  and  tried  to  withdraw;  but — 
oh,  what  a  surprise! — Castell  detained  her,  taking 
151 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

hold  of  her  wrist.  At  the  same  time  with  his  other 
hand  he  tried  to  put  a  letter  between  her  fingers. 
Cristina  refused  to  take  it.  There  was  a  struggle 
in  silence.  My  heart  beat  in  my  breast.  I  was 
afraid  that  Marti  would  turn  his  head  and  see  what 
was  going  on.  Not  for  sake  of  the  villain  Castell, 
it  may  be  readily  understood,  but  to  save  my 
friends  from  the  scandal  and  from  cruel  trouble, 
I  did  everything  possible  to  keep  him  occupied. 
Cristina's  frightened  eyes  were  several  times  turned 
towards  us;  then  not  getting  free  otherwise,  and 
fearing  that  which  was  surely  going  to  happen,  if 
this  struggle  were  prolonged  a  few  seconds  more, 
she  decided  to  take  the  letter,  which  she  crumpled 
and  hid  in  her  hand.  Then,  pale,  yet  smiling,  she 
came  over  to  us  and  busied  herself  also  in  looking 
over  the  plans,  forcing  herself  to  seem  at  ease. 
But  her  face  did  not  lose  its  intense  pallor  and  her 
whole  body  was  trembling. 

As  for  Castell,  I  never  saw  anybody  cooler, 
serener,  or  showing  less  emotion  of  any  sort.  He 
remained  a  little  while  quiet,  his  hands  in  his 
pockets,  looking  out  over  the  balcony  into  the 
street.  Then  he  walked  about  the  room.  Now 
and  then  he  would  give  Cristina  a  quick,  scrutiniz- 
ing glance.  In  spite  of  the  profound  aversion  with 
which  he  inspired  me,  I  could  not  help  admiring 
the  man's  incredible  audacity  and  at  the  same  time 
his  perfect  self-control  and  unquenchable  confi- 
152 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

dence  in  himself.  I  have  never  known  anyone  to 
whom  other  created  beings  represented  less. 

I  did  not  lose  sight  of  the  hand  in  which  Cris- 
tina  had  crumpled  the  letter.  Emilio  went  on 
through  the  portfolios  without  ceasing  his  long 
prolix  explanations.  Then  rising  from  his  chair 
and  taking  CastelPs  arm,  he  halted  him  in  his 
walk. 

"Do  you — don't  you  want  to  go  into  such  a 
business  ?  "  he  said  in  the  chaffing  tone. 

"  You  know  already,  Emilio,  that  I  can't  serve 
you,"  replied  the  other,  with  his  placid  and  patron- 
izing smile. 

"  In  work,  no — I  know  that.  But  as  a  figure- 
head you  can  do  me  a  great  service.  As  you  are 
rich  and  are  known  as  a  scientific  man  (you  know 
that,  although  you  don't  care  much  about  it),  it 
is  necessary  that  you  should  take  the  most  im- 
portant position,  and  be  president  of  the  council 
of  administration.  No  work  will  be  demanded  of 
you.  You  shall  be  given  a  comfortable  arm-chair, 
and  you  can,  from  time  to  time,  drop  off  to  sleep, 
scattering  benedictions." 

Cristina  had  remained  near  the  table.  Stand- 
ing up,  she,  with  a  lofty  expression,  cast  one  full 
glance  at  Castell.  Then  unfolding  that  which  she 
held,  she  tranquilly  tore  it  up  and  flung  the  tiny 
bits  into  the  waste-paper  basket. 


153 


CHAPTER   X. 

OUR  way  that  afternoon  lay  towards  the  cottage 
of  Tonet,  where  some  refreshment  was  pre- 
pared for  us.  This  Tonet,  a  regular  Moor  accord- 
ing to  his  eyes,  his  complexion,  and  his  teeth,  was 
a  wonder  at  preparing  paellas  and  playing  on  the 
flute.  Whenever  it  occurred  to  us  to  go  and  visit 
him,  he  received  us  with  the  gravity  and  courtesy 
of  a  feudal  sefior.  Scarcely  opening  his  lips,  he 
made  himself  understood  to  his  wife  and  children 
by  signs,  had  chairs  brought  for  us  under  the  arbor, 
and  soon  afterwards  he  used  to  serve  us  figs,  dates, 
chufas,  and  fresh  cinnamon  cakes,  with  which  his 
pantry  was  always  provided.  When  we  had  let 
him  know  we  were  coming,  as  on  the  present  occa- 
sion, he  offered  us  ice  cream,  rich  with  vanilla  and 
filberts.  He  was  a  meek,  sad  man,  seeming  care- 
less of  all  things.  He  was  never  joyful,  but  liked 
to  see  joyousness  in  others.  On  Sundays  and  on 
many  afternoons  when  his  work  was  done  early,  he 
would  come  out  and  sit  down  alone  in  front  of  the 
cottage  and  play  softly  for  a  while  on  his  flute.  He 
did  not  do  it  for  his  own  pleasure;  it  was  a  lure, 
nothing  more.  Little  by  little  he  drew  to  his  own 
154 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

cottage  the  young  people  from  all  the  cottages 
round  about,  and  a  dance  was  improvised.  His 
eldest  son,  a  boy  of  fourteen  years,  played  on  the 
taboret  and  was  almost  as  grave  and  silent  as  he. 
Both  passed  hours,  one  blowing  and  the  other  beat- 
ing his  instrument,  serious,  melancholy,  with  eyes 
fixed  on  space,  and  heeding  neither  much  nor  little 
the  noisy  dance  that  their  music  evoked. 

Sabas,  who  was  of  the  party  this  afternoon, 
marched  abreast  with  me  as  we  were  making  our 
way  across  the  fields  of  high  Indian  corn,  already 
bursting  into  ears.  The  first  subject  that  he  pro- 
posed for  my  consideration,  sucking  his  pipe  and 
spitting  at  regular  intervals,  was  of  a  nature  essen- 
tially critical.  Why  did  his  brother-in-law  persist 
in  keeping  up  this  estate  with  so  little  of  it  under 
cultivation,  and  at  so  much  expense,  when  by  so 
little  effort  it  could  be  made  productive?  Every 
one  of  the  constituent  elements  of  this  proposition 
was  separately  examined  by  a  rigidly  mathemati- 
cal method.  To  do  so  he  formulated  in  the  first 
place  certain  definitions,  clear,  distinct,  and  lumi- 
nous. What  is  an  estate  for  recreation?  What  is 
a  productive  estate?  What  is  an  estate  of  com- 
bined pleasure  and  utility?  After  this  he  laid 
down  certain  axioms  as  profound  as  they  were  in- 
disputable. All  that  is  productive  ought  to  pro- 
duce. To  attain  an  end  one  ought  to  employ 
means.  Man  is  not  alone  in  the  world,  and  ought 
155 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

to  consider  his  family.  Vanity  should  not  influ- 
ence human  actions.  One-sided  propositions  im- 
mediately followed  with  their  premises  and  corol- 
laries; then  he  would  go  on  to  the  end  gently,  but 
with  invincible  logic  to  prove  the  proposition  on 
which  hung  the  following  corollary:  Emilio  is  an 
active  and  enterprising  man,  but  at  the  same  time 
a  careless  fellow. 

Satisfied,  with  good  reason,  by  the  method  and 
intuition  and  the  logic  wherewith  the  Supreme 
Being  had  so  highly  favored  him,  Sabas  continued 
sucking  and  spitting  with  dizzying  rapidity.  The 
second  subject  which  this  lucid  soul  attacked  this 
afternoon  directly  concerned  me. 

"  Come,  tell  us,  Eibot,  have  you  never  thought 
of  getting  married?"  he  asked  me  after  a  long 
pause,  taking  out  his  pipe  and  fixing  a  scrutinizing 
gaze  upon  me. 

I  confess  I  felt  disturbed.  I  understood  that 
the  depths  of  my  soul  were  next  to  be  sounded,  and 
trembled,  perceiving  that  this  transcendent  critic 
was  disposed  to  exercise  his  scalpel  on  me. 

"  Tss!  Sailors  think  little  of  that.  Our  life  is 
incompatible  with  family  pleasures." 

"  Sailors,  when  they  arrive  at  a  certain  com- 
fortable condition  and  have  reached  an  indepen- 
dent position  like  you,  have  the  right  to  retire 
peacefully  and  enjoy  a  comfortable  life,"  he 
replied  with  the  gravity  and  firmness  which 
156 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

marked  every  utterance  that  came  out  of  his 
mouth. 

How  did  he  know  that  I  had  reached  an  in- 
dependent position?  Solely  by  his  marvellous  in- 
tuition, for  I  had  given  nobody  an  account  of  the 
state  of  my  affairs.  I  admired  such  tremendous 
penetration  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  and  was 
humbly  disposed  to  find  out  how  much  more  he 
knew  about  me. 

Sabas  meditated  several  minutes.  And  while  he 
meditated,  sucking  his  pipe,  his  cheeks  sunk  in  a 
supernatural  manner.  The  energy  that  he  ex- 
pended upon  that  tobacco  smoke  was  such  that  I 
was  persuaded  he  must  be  swallowing  it. 

At  the  same  time  the  intensity  of  his  reflections 
influenced  in  like  manner  the  secretion  of  his 
salivary  glands. 

"  Why  should  you  not  marry  my  cousin  Isa- 
belita?  "  he  said  to  me  suddenly,  with  that  brusque 
and  peremptory  accent  which  characterizes  men 
who  rule  their  kind  by  their  power  of  thought. 

Isabelita  was  walking  on  with  Matilde  in  front 
of  us.  I  grew  pale,  fearing  she  might  have  heard 
these  serious  words,  and  frightened  and  confused, 
murmured  some  incoherent  words. 

"  Yes,"  proceeded  the  critic,  "  my  cousin  is  a 
very  nice  girl,  very  modest,  and  more,  she  admires 
you  extremely/' 

"Admires  me!"  I  exclaimed,  amazed.  "And 
157 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

for  what  does  she  admire  me? "  I  asked  can- 
didly. 

Sabas  laughed  noisily,  coughed,  and  got  rid  of 
his  nicotine. 

"  She  will  tell  you  that  when  you  are  alone  with 
her,  hand  in  hand." 

"  You  do  not  understand  me,"  I  returned,  net- 
tled. "What  I  wish  to  say  is  that  I  do  not  see 
anything  in  myself  to  be  admired  by  anybody. 
And  as  for  Isabelita,  I  have  always  believed  that 
she  had  dedicated  all  of  her  admiration  to  Castell." 

"  That  is  nothing  special.  A  man  with  eight 
million  pesetas  is  an  admirable  being.  But  the 
admiration,  in  this  case,  will  not  bring  any  practi- 
cal result.  All  the  world  knows  that  Castell  keeps 
the  mother  of  his  children,  and  no  young  lady  of 
good  family  thinks  of  him.  With  you  the  case  is 
different;  it  would  be  possible  for  it  to  be  quickly 
carried  to  a  satisfactory  solution;  and  my  opinion 
is  that  you  ought  to  leave  your  steamboat  and  try 
at  once  for  this  elegant  craft.  Isabelita  is  sensible, 
modest,  well-educated,  diligent;  she  is  accustomed 
to  the  strict  economy  of  a  house  where  they  turn  a 
dollar  over  a  hundred  times  before  parting  with  it; 
an  only  child,  and  heiress  of  all  her  father's  money. 
And  my  Uncle  Retamoso  owns  more  than  people 
imagine.  Who  ever  can  tell  exactly  how  much 
money  a  Galician  has?  Probably  while  he  lives 
you  would  not  have  a  right  of  five  centimes;  but 
158 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

what  does  that  matter  to  you?  In  the  first  years  of 
marriage  you  can  keep  yourself  well  enough  on 
your  capital,  and  when  necessities  grow  greater, 
and  certain  additional  things  become  necessary, 
you  can  make  a  raise  on  your  prospects  as  his  son- 
in-law,  enough  to  carry  you  over  until  a  certain 
joyful  event " 

Other  wise  reflections  poured  like  busy  and 
knowing  bees  from  the  mouth  of  that  extraordinary 
man.  In  my  life  seemed  gathered  together  all  the 
loose  ends  of  existence,  all  its  aims  fulfilled,  and 
the  quintessence  of  human  relations  extracted. 

While  my  future  was  thus  being  discussed,  al- 
though I  found  myself  embarrassed  by  the  new  per- 
spective offered  to  my  view,  I  had,  none  the  less, 
enough  largeness  of  mind  to  admire  the  logic  of 
his  discourse,  his  surprising  wealth  of  figures,  rich- 
ness of  diction,  turns  of  expression,  subtle  and 
logical  distinctions,  and  the  perfect  links  of  his 
chain  of  reasoning.  The  breathing  world,  I  be- 
lieve, held  no  secrets  from  this  man,  and  the  mech- 
anism of  his  reasoning  worked  with  the  exactness 
of  a  chronometer. 

When  we  reached  the  cottage  and  were  seated  to 
partake  of  the  refreshment  that  had  been  prepared 
for  us,  Emilio,  who  was  near  me,  asked  me  in  an 
undertone: 

"  Then  it  is  decided  that  you  are  going  to  leave 
us  to-morrow?  " 

159 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  There  is  no  help  for  it.  The  boat  is  due  any 
moment  now." 

"  What  a  pity! "  he  exclaimed  in  a  melancholy 
tone;  and  placing  one  hand  affectionately  on  my 
shoulder  he  added:  "  Do  you  know,  you  rascal,  that 
we  are  getting  used  to  you!  " 

I  was  moved  by  his  words,  and  more  yet  by  the 
cloud  of  sadness  that  darkened  his  cheerful,  sympa- 
thetic face.  I  kept  silence.  He  did  the  same. 
Throwing  himself  back  in  his  chair,  he  remained 
unlike  himself,  thoughtful  and  melancholy.  At 
last  he  turned  to  me  and  said,  almost  in  my 
ear: 

"  If  you  would  take  my  advice  you  would  give  up 
your  sea-faring  life,  which,  say  what  you  will,  is  a 
little  risky,  and  marry  and  settle  down.  Why  be 
always  alone?  Do  you  never  think  of  old  age,  and 
how  sad  it  would  be  to  pass  the  last  years  of  your 
life  in  the  power  of  self-seekers,  without  children 
to  make  bright  your  home,  without  a  wife  who  of 
herself  brings  order  and  comfort?  " 

"  But  I  am  an  old  fellow  already,"  I  answered 
smiling,  but  sad  in  the  depths  of  my  soul,  "  I  am 
thirty-six  years  old." 

"  That  is  a  good  age  for  a  man.  And  then,  by 
your  looks  and  strength  and  suppleness,  you  are 
only  a  boy.  I  know,"  he  added,  casting  a  mis- 
chievous glance  towards  the  place  where  Isabel ita 
was,  "  a  girl  of  eighteen  Aprils  who  would  marry 
160 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

you  in  preference  to  all  the  young  bucks  of  the 
city/' 

"Bah!  this  girl  would  laugh  if  you  should  pro- 
pose to  her  a  man  double  her  age." 

"  Don't  you  believe  it!  Because  you  know  it 
already,  I  will  tell  you  in  confidence  that  Isabelita 
admires  you." 

"  But,  man " 

"  No,  no.  I  know  particularly  that  she  admires 
you." 

The  thing  was  serious.  This  unexpected  admira- 
tion made  me  anxious  and  timid.  I  could  not  see 
my  face  in  a  mirror,  because  there  was  none  there; 
but  a  glance  at  my  shaggy,  brown  .hands  and  at  my 
feet,  neither  small  nor  especially  well-shod,  made 
me  unable  to  divine  the  nature  or  extent  of  my 
charms. 

Well,  well,  the  least  that  a  man  can  do  when, 
with  reason  or  without,  he  finds  himself  admired 
by  a  girl,  is  to  pass  her  the  plate  of  olives  and 
ask  her  if  she  likes  them.  This  is  exactly  what  I 
did  a  little  after  I  had  had  it  brought  to  my  notice 
that  I  had  fascinated  Retamoso's  daughter.  She 
pricked  one  with  her  fork,  and  at  once  her  lovely 
face  was  covered  with  blushes,  as  if  she  had  pricked 
my  heart.  I  was  not  sure,  but  I  figured  that  the 
next  thing  after  this  was  to  serve  her  a  bit  of 
sausage.  The  same  blushes  dyed  her  brow  for  this 
hash  as  for  the  olives.  The  consecutive  repetition 
161 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

of  this  physiological  phenomenon  filled  my  spirit 
with  alarm.  My  gallant  sentiments  grew  so  ani- 
mated that  I  did  not  stop  offering  her  entertain- 
ment at  very  short  intervals  for  some  time.  I 
think  that  if  she  had  taken  all  I  offered  her  that 
afternoon,  medicine  would  have  been  powerless  to 
counteract  the  effects  of  my  attention,  and  that 
angelical  being  would  have  spread  her  wings  for 
heaven,  the  victim  of  an  indigestion. 

Once  started  on  the  downward  path  of  soft 
nothings,  I  did  not  hesitate  to  sit  down  beside 
her  and  let  her  know  that  she  had  wonderful  eyes, 
indescribable;  cheeks  that  were  smooth,  rose-col- 
ored, indescribable;  hands  little  and  shapely  and 
charming  and — also  indescribable.  The  knowl- 
edge of  these  facts  caused  her  profound  surprise,  to 
judge  by  the  look  of  incredulity  that  appeared 
upon  her  countenance.  She  told  me  that  truly  I 
knew  very  well  how  to  go  on,  and  that  only  a  rascal 
of  a  sailor,  accustomed  to  flatter  women  all  along 
the  coast,  could  find  such  a  proceeding  possible. 
Saying  this,  she  grew  redder  than  a  cherry. 

The  conversation  went  on  for  some  time  in  this 
sweet  and  pleasant  fashion,  as  if  we  were  playing 
at  fencing  in  a  comedy,  and  while  it  lasted  the 
blood  ebbed  and  flowed  constantly  in  the  face  of 
Isabelita.  I  outdid  myself,  as  the  critics  say  of 
bad  actors  in  the  journals;  that  is,  I  was  jolly, 
smart,  full  of  chaff,  and  absolutely  stupid.  Our  chat 
162 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

attracted  the  attention  of  the  rest,  and  I  could 
see  that  they  looked  at  us  with  curiosity  and 
glanced  mischievously  at  one  another. 

I  don't  know  now  what  fatuity  made  me  do  it, 
but  I  begged  Tonet  to  play  on  his  flute,  and  I  pro- 
posed that,  when  the  company  came,  we  should 
dance  together.  She  accepted  readily,  and  laughed 
a  good  deal  (was  it  at  me?)  when  we  were  thus 
matched.  I  invited  Isabelita,  that's  sure,  and  I 
began  jumping  about  with  her  like  a  rattle-pated 
student,  and  I  was  not  long  in  discovering  that  in  a 
little  while  everybody  was  watching  us  attentively. 
My  agitation  was  not  calmed  by  this.  However,  I 
went  on  hopping  about  at  a  great  rate,  while  every- 
body applauded,  crying  vivas,  and  looking  at  us 
with  laughing  eyes.  Only  the  silent  Tonet  and  his 
immobile  son  fixed  theirs  upon  us  as  grave  and 
melancholy  as  if  they  wished  to  remind  us  of  the 
nothingness  of  all  things  human,  and  the  brevity 
of  existence. 

Cristina,  who  until  then  had  been  quiet,  and  on 
whose  brow  I  could  see  the  lines  marked  by  the 
scene  of  the  morning,  now  began  quickly  to  wake 
up  a  bit.  Her  face  was  so  lively  that  everybody  ad- 
mired it.  They  had  not  seen  her  like  that  in  years. 
Dona  Amparo  declared  that  since  she  was  a  little 
girl,  when  her  playfulness  and  tricks  had  caused 
her  mother  more  than  one  start,  Cristina  had  not 
frolicked  in  such  fashion.  We  encouraged  her, 
163 


The  Joy  of"  Captain  Ribot 

applauded  her,  threw  her  chufas  and  almonds  until 
she  began  to  show  a  wish  to  dance  also.  Emilio 
and  her  mother  would  not  let  her,  on  account  of 
her  condition.  But  nonsense  and  witticisms  kept 
on  issuing  from  her  mouth,  splitting  everybody's 
sides  with  laughter.  She  had  a  lively  wit,  and  she 
got  her  words  off  with  a  brusque  naturalness  that 
gave  them  a  great  effect.  Some  things  that  she 
said  seemed  to  me  a  little  dashing,  but  I  admired 
her  so  much  that  I  did  not  mind  them.  When 
anyone  talks  a  great  deal  of  nonsense,  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  keep  within  strictly  prudent  limits. 

"  This  is  all  right,"  said  Sabas  in  my  ear,  seat- 
ing himself  beside  me.  "  Now  you  have  a  chance 
to  strike  while  the  iron  is  hot.  Get  in  with  my 
uncle.  Talk  to  him  about  the  subject  that  will 
butter  your  bread." 

I  laughed,  but  took  no  further  notice.  I  went 
on  paying  court  to  Isabel  ita  with  everybody's  good 
will.  I  mistake — Dona  Clara  looked  at  us  now 
and  then  with  eyes  whose  expression  was  a  trifle 
more  severe  than  usual,  and  she  sniffed  her  Roman 
nose  when  we  chanced  to  take  a  little  luncheon 
of  chufas.  I  do  not  know  but  I  may  be  wrong,  but 
two  or  three  times  I  had  a  notion  that  I  heard  her 
murmur  the  English  word,  "  Shocking!  "  This 
would  have  been  nothing  strange,  for  in  difficult 
places  this  illustrious  matron  preferred  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  language  to  her  native  idiom.  That  which 
164 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

I  can  fearlessly  affirm,  and  nobody  will  contradict, 
is  that  I  saw  her  eat  more  than  a  kilo  of  choco- 
lates, and  that  this  operation,  however  vulgar  in 
itself,  did  not  make  her  lose  one  atom  of  her 
majesty. 

The  hour  arrived  for  us  to  go  back  to  the  house 
for  our  carriages,  to  return  to  the  city.  But  at 
the  moment  of  starting  to  walk,  Cristina  felt  very 
badly.  I  saw  that  she  grew  pale  and  put  her  hand 
several  times  to  her  head  and  heart.  The  sal- 
volatile  of  Dona  Amparo  was  of  no  avail;  neither 
was  the  orange-flower  water  nor  the  Melisa  water, 
nor  other  remedies  that,  like  faithful  friends,  ac- 
companied this  nervous  lady  everywhere.  Cristina 
begged  us  to  leave  her  alone  a  moment  with  Tenet's 
wife,  who  would  bring  her  a  cup  of  tila.  A  quarter 
of  an  hour  later  she  came  out  of  the  cottage,  se- 
rene, but  with  reddened  eyes.  The  nervous  crisis 
had  ended  in  tears. 

The  sun  had  already  disappeared  when  we 
started  on  our  walk  through  the  fields  of  Indian 
corn  and  the  little  fruit  orchards.  Calming  my 
dashing  gallantry  and  stifling  the  gush  of  vanity 
that  had  burst  forth  in  my  spirit  at  the  supposed 
admiration  of  Isabelita,  I  remained  silent  and  sad. 
As  I  was  walking  apart  in  company  with  her  and 
Matilde,  I  did  my  utmost  to  hide  it;  but  seeing  that 
this  was  impossible,  and  fearing  that  they  would 
notice  my  mood,  I  made  a  feint  for  the  purpose  of 
165 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

falling  back  to  walk  alone.  I  was  displeased  with 
myself.  The  gallantry  of  that  afternoon  seemed 
to  me  a  treason  to  my  true  sentiment,  to  the  sweet 
and  delicate  love  that  I  guarded  like  a  treasure  in 
the  depth  of  my  heart.  I  could  not  but  think  with 
disgust  that  I  had  descended  to  the  most  trivial 
cheapness.  I  was  afraid,  with  good  reason,  that 
Cristina,  whose  regard  and  esteem  for  me  had 
seemed  increasing,  would  despise  me  from  that 
hour,  and  this  thought  hurt  me  deeply. 

Since  her  indisposition  she  had  not  turned  to- 
wards me  or  looked  at  me,  nor  spoken  a  word  to 
me.  Luck  made  it  so  that  she  could  not  help 
speaking.  She  had  forgotten  her  watch  and  left 
it  in  the  cottage  and  wished  to  go  back  for  it. 
I  quickly  anticipated  her.  When  I  returned 
with  it,  she  waited  for  me,  a  little  apart  from  the 
others. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said,  with  a  hard,  cold  face, 
and  tried  to  rejoin  the  rest. 

Whoever  has  experienced  the  pangs  of  love  will 
believe  me  when  I  say  that  that  gloomy  counte- 
nance gave  me  inexpressible  joy. 

"  Listen  to  me  a  moment,  Cristina;  I  have  some- 
thing to  say."  I  spoke  with  a  voice  not  quite 
under  control. 

"  You  may  say  it,"  she  replied,  looking  over  my 
head  at  the  horizon,  and  in  a  glacial  tone  that,  for 
a  like  reason,  warmed  instead  of  chilling  me. 
166 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  I  wish  to  beg  advice  of  you  and  I  scarcely  dare. 
Did  you  notice  that  this  afternoon  I  paid  a  little 
more  attention  to  your  Cousin  Isabelita,  as  if  I 
were  courting  her?  " 

"No.  I  have  noticed  nothing,"  she  answered, 
more  sharply  still. 

"  Because  this  is  the  truth — and  I  venture  to  say 
it,  it  is  only  because  of  the  great  difference  in  age 
between  us — I  only  did  it  because  Isabelita  admires 
me." 

She  gazed  at  me  stupefied,  as  if  she  suspected 
that  I  had  gone  mad. 

"  At  least  this  is  what  I  have  been  informed  in 
turn  by  Sabas  and  Emilio." 

"  What  idiots! "  she  exclaimed,  her  lips  smiling, 
understanding  my  meaning.  "  They  are  capable 
of  making  sport  of  everything.  Fortunately  you 
are  a  man  of  sense,  and  take  no  stock  in  such  non- 
sense; and  if  not,  you  would  stop  at  my  poor 
cousin." 

"In  this  case,  I  have,  after  all,  taken  certain 
steps  towards  winning  her  good  will,  and  before 
going  farther  I  wish  to  obtain  your  approval." 

"My  approval!"  she  exclaimed,  agitated,  and 
with  a  choking  voice.  "  But  what  need  have  you 
of  my  approval?  I  have  no  part  in  the  matter. 
Beg  it  of  her  parents." 

"  Before  begging  it  of  her  parents  I  desire  it 
from  you.  I  know  that  you  have  no  direct  interest 
167 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

in  the  matter,  but  it  has  to  do  with  your  cousin,  of 
whom  you  appear  to  think  a  good  deal,  who  has 
distinguished  me  with  her  esteem,  however  little 
merited.  Nobody  can  give  me  true  counsel  in  this 
case  better  than  you;  so  I  beg  it  of  you,  in  the  name 
of  our  good  friendship,  as  a  favor  which  I  shall 
appreciate  all  the  days  of  my  life." 

She  remained  silent  for  some  time. 

We  walked  on  together  through  the  high-grow- 
ing corn  which  made  even  dimmer  the  fading  twi- 
light. 

I  watched  her  out  of  the  corner  of  my  eye,  and 
it  seemed  to  me  that  I  could  detect  slight,  almost 
imperceptible,  changes  sweep  over  her  face.  Soon 
her  brow  contracted  and  her  lips  moved  several 
times  before  a  sound  escaped  them.  At  last  she 
said  in  a  trembling  voice: 

"  It  makes  me  very  happy  that  you  have  made 
your  choice  at  last.  Men  ought  not  to  live  alone, 
and  especially  those  who,  like  you,  have  an  affec- 
tionate, indulgent  temperament,  and  know  how  to 
appreciate  the  delicate  heart  of  a  woman.  Isabelita 
is  almost  a  child;  I  can  tell  you  little  about  her 
character.  You  will  take  it  upon  yourself  to  form 
her.  But  I  can  assure  you  that  she  knows  how  to 
fulfil  the  duties  of  a  housewife.  She  is  industrious, 
careful,  economical;  and  under  these  qualities  are 
hid  others  that  will  show  themselves.  She  is  very 
pretty,  too." 

168 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  You  have  forgotten  the  one  which  makes  her 
dearest  and  most  attractive  to  me." 

"  What?  " 

"  That  of  being  your  cousin." 

Her  beautiful  face  darkened;  she  frowned  and 
replied  in  a  sharp  tone: 

"  If  you  do  not  care  for  my  cousin  for  herself, 
if  you  would  take  her  as  a  toy  to  distract  you  from 
other  illusions,  or,  which  would  be  worse,  to  follow 
and  nourish  them  in  secret,  you  would  commit  a 
great  sin;  and  I  should  in  such  case  advise  you  not 
to  think  of  her,  but  to  leave  her  in  peace." 

Uttering  these  words,  she  hastened  on  and  joined 
the  others,  leaving  me  alone. 

When  we  got  into  the  carriages  to  return  to  the 
city,  I  was  melancholy,  too  wrapped  up  in  serious 
meditations  to  go  on  playing  the  boy  with  Isabelita. 
Under  pretext  of  a  headache  I  found  a  place  alone 
at  the  back,  and  to  support  my  pretext  I  did  not 
go  up  to  Marti's  house,  but  retired  to  my  hotel. 

At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  I  heard  the 
cheerful  voice  of  Emilio,  who  came  into  my  quar- 
ters like  a  hurricane,  threw  open  the  windows,  and 
sat  down  on  my  bed. 

"  You  can't  go  to-morrow,  Captain! "  he  cried, 
laughing,  and  pulling  my  beard  to  finish  waking 
me. 

"  Why?  "  I  asked  sleepily. 

"Because  to-morrow  you  are  going  to  be  god- 
169 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

father  to  a  little  girl  more  beautiful  than  the  morn- 
ing star." 

"  What!     Cristina ?  " 

"Yes;  Cristina  was  taken  ill  after  you  left  us. 
We  thought  that  it  was  to  be  like  her  afternoon  in- 
disposition; but  she,  who  ought  to  know,  begged 
us  to  send  for  the  woman  she  had  engaged  for  the 
case.  I  was  afraid  she  might  not  succeed,  and 
sent  for  the  doctor;  but  Cristina  would  not  consent 
that  he  should  come  into  her  room.  When  the 
woman  took  charge  of  her,  the  poor —  Oh,  what 
courage,  what  suffering,  Captain!  Not  a  groan, 
not  a  moan.  I  walked  about  dead,  torn  to  pieces, 
praying  God  that  she  would  scream.  I  don't 
understand  suffering  without  a  sound.  I  am  ap- 
palled by  temperaments  like  Cristina's,  that  not 
one  complaint  escapes  in  the  worst  of  pains.  At 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning  my  brave  little  woman 
came  through  her  trouble,  making  me  rather  of  the 
prettiest,  healthiest,  cleverest  little  one  the  sun  of 
Valencia  ever  shone  on.  I'm  sure  of  it,  although 
I  have  not  yet  seen  it." 

He  got  up  from  the  bed,  took  several  turns  in  the 
room,  came  back  and  sat  down,  got  up  again,  and 
went  through  a  series  of  evolutions  that  showed 
the  delightful  agitation  of  his  spirit.  I  felt 
deeply  moved  too,  and  congratulated  him  with 
hearty  words.  When  he  stopped  at  last,  I  asked 
him: 

170 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  So  you  do  me  the  honor  of  being  god- 
father?" 

"  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  if  you  will  ac- 
cept. To  tell  the  truth,  I  thought  first  of  Castell. 
You  don't  mind,  do  you?  Enrique  is  more  than  a 
friend  and  brother  to  me.  It  would  be  the  natural 
thing.  But  I  will  tell  you  privately,  Cristina  op- 
posed it.  Eeligious  scruples,  do  you  see?  En- 
rique professes  such  upsetting  ideas  and  declares 
them  with  such  excessive  frankness,  the  ladies 
cannot  forgive  him.  It  is  all  because  he  is  not 
a  practical  man.  He  might  hold  all  the  notions 
he  liked  if  he  would  keep  them  a  little  more  to 
himself  when  he  is  among  women.  As  for  me,  I 
laugh  at  his  materialistic  ideas.  Enrique  a  ma- 
terialist, when  there  is  not  a  more  generous  man 
in  the  world!  Because,  in  spite  of  his  great  talents 
and  his  wonderful  powers  of  illustration,  do  you 
know,  Enrique  is  a  child,  a  heart  of  gold! " 

As  he  uttered  these  words  with  an  accent  of  con- 
viction, he  shook  his  black,  curly  head  in  a  way 
that  made  me  want  to  laugh  and  to  weep  at  the 
same  time. 

"And  what  does  Cristina  say  to  the  substi- 
tute?" 

"When  I  proposed  your  name,  she  was  de- 
lighted." 

I  was  delighted  too,  hearing  this.  I  dressed 
hastily  and  marched  off  to  make  the  acquaintance 
171 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

of  the  new  star.  The  next  day  we  went  to  church, 
and  I  performed  my  duty  with  emotion,  yes,  burst- 
ing with  pride.  Later  I  took  the  train  for  Barce- 
lona, promising  my  friends  to  return  soon  to  visit 
them,  and  to  make  the  visit  permanent  by  settling 
my  camp  in  Valencia. 


1TO 


CHAPTER   XL 

I  THOUGHT  this  matter  over,  and  my  purpose 
became  fixed  during  my  voyage.  I  found 
that,  although  not  rich,  I  had  enough  to  live  com- 
fortably on;  and  when  I  returned  to  Barcelona  I 
offered  my  resignation  to  the  shipping  house. 

I  cannot  clearly  explain  the  sentiments  whose 
tumult  at  that  time  filled  my  soul.  Confusion 
reigned  therein.  Intense  love  for  Cristina,  the 
angelic  beauty  and  innocence  of  Eetamoso's  girl, 
the  desire  for  repose  and  for  a  comfortable  and 
tranquil  life  that  all  men  feel  on  arriving  at  a  cer- 
tain state,  and  the  sharp  prickings  of  conscience 
that  questioned  my  right  to  obtain  it  under  such 
conditions,  struggled  together  within  me.  But 
there  was  one  sentiment  which,  however  silenced, 
was  stronger  than  the  others — the  ardent  desire  to 
be  near  Cristina,  to  live  in  her  intimate  circle,  and 
never  to  lose  sight  of  her  charming  face.  I  held 
no  thoughts  against  the  peace  of  her  heart  or  the 
honor  of  her  husband,  but  only  to  be  happy  enjoy- 
ing her  presence  all  of  my  life. 

In  this  mind,  neither  saint-like  nor  criminal, 
I  took  the  train  for  Valencia  two  months  after  I 
173 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

had  left  it.  In  a  train  that  passed  mine  in  a  sta- 
tion on  the  way,  I  caught  a  glimpse,  through  a 
window,  of  the  silhouette  of  Sabas,  and  near  it  the 
red  head  of  a  woman  who  was  not  Matilde. 

"  Sabas,  Sabas!  "  I  called. 

When  he  saw  me,  he  saluted  me  affectionately 
with  his  hand.  The  lady  who  was  beside  him  also 
smiled  cordially;  I  did  not  see  why,  for  I  did  not 
know  her.  I  remained  puzzled.  I  was  doubtful 
if  I  had  not  been  mistaken.  Was  it  really  Ma- 
tilde?  I  was  not  long  in  finding  out. 

I  reached  Valencia  before  dark.  After  leaving 
my  things  at  the  inn,  I  hired  a  conveyance  to  take 
me  out  to  Cabanal,  where  I  knew  that  Marti  was 
now  installed.  I  was  anxious  to  consult  with  him 
about  my  plans.  As  I  drew  near  the  country  house 
I  felt  my  heart  beating  violently.  This  roused 
anew  my  sentiment  of  honor.  "  Are  we  like  this?  " 
I  said  to  myself  scornfully.  "  While  thinking  of 
binding  yourself  by  a  sacred  fetter,  of  offering 
yourself  to  an  innocent  young  girl,  you  cannot  con- 
trol your  impulses!  You  are  going  to  press  the 
hand  of  a  friend,  to  make  him  your  confidant, 
your  kinsman,  while  still  your  spirit  is  not  cleansed 
of  traitorous  thoughts! " 

The  family  was  assembled  in  the  dining-room. 

I  observed  at  once  a  certain  sadness  and  unusual 

gravity  on  their  faces.     They  all  wore  long  faces, 

filled  with  a  consternation  that  alarmed  me  exces- 

174 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

sively.  Marti  embraced  me,  however,  with  his  ac- 
customed cordiality,  showing  sincere  delight  at  my 
arrival.  I  gave  my  hand  to  the  others  and,  coming 
to  Matilde,  I  said  to  her,  without  stopping  to  think: 

"  So  you  are  a  widow?  I  saw  your  husband  in 
a  station.  We  had  no  chdnce  to  speak,  but  we 
greeted  each  other." 

I  had  not  finished  uttering  these  words  before  I 
was  stupefied  by  her  beginning  to  weep  bitterly. 
She  pressed  my  hand  convulsively  and,  between 
the  sobs  that  rent  her  breast,  said: 

"  Thanks,  Eibot!  Many  thanks!  My  husband 
was  running  away  with  the  young  lady." 

"  I  saw  a  red-headed  lady  beside  him,  but  I  did 
not  think — "  I  stammered,  abashed. 

"  Yes,  yes,  the  young  lady,"  she  sobbed. 

"Forgive  me,  but  what  has  been  said  can't  be 
unsaid;  but,  yes,  she  seemed  young  to  me." 

"  She  would  like  to  seem  young!  She  is  more 
than  thirty  years  old! "  she  cried  angrily;  "  more 
painted  and  bedizzened  than  a  doll  in  a  bazaar. 
You  should  see  her  mornings  on  her  balcony!  " 

Marti  came  to  my  aid,  saying  in  low  tones: 

"  She  was  the  young  lady  in  the  company  acting 
at  the  theatre." 

"  Ah! " 

Everybody  kept  still  and  looked  at  the  floor  as 
one  does  when  paying  a  visit  of  condolence.  Noth- 
ing could  be  heard  in  the  room  but  the  increasingly 
175 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

poignant  sobs  of  the  outraged  wife.  The  situation 
was  trying,  agonizing  in  the  highest  degree.  For- 
tunately Dona  Amparo  had  the  happy  inspiration 
to  faint  away,  and  this  accident  introduced  an  ele- 
ment of  variety  into  the  scene  which  we  immedi- 
ately improved.  We  ran  to  her  aid.  We  opened 
flasks  with  shining  stoppers.  The  dining-room 
was  filled  with  the  penetrating  fragrances  of  the 
apothecary's  shop.  Tears,  embraces,  sighs,  kisses. 
At  last  her  equilibrium  was  restored,  and  she  came 
to  herself. 

I  thought  I  would  lose  my  head  in  the  odor  of 
ether;  but  before  this  could  happen  Marti  drew  me 
from  the  room,  and  carried  me  off  to  his  office. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  wretched  affair?  "  he 
cried,  shaking  his  head  in  immense  annoyance. 

"But  what  is  it  all?" 

"  Nothing;  the  other  night  he  won  three  or  four 
thousand  pesetas  at  play,  and  he  has  gone  gayly  off 
to  spend  them  with  an  actress." 

"  What  madness!     But  he  will  come  back!  " 

"  I  believe  you;  he'll  come  back  when  he  has 
run  through  with  every  dollar,  as  he  did  the  other 
time." 

"The  other  time?" 

"  Yes;  three  or  four  years  ago  he  eloped  with  a 
circus-rider.  But  then  he  carried  off  more  money 
than  this  time." 

I  had  no  wish  to  seek  for  more  details,  for  I  saw 
176 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

that  Marti  was  going. to  break  down.  There  is 
nothing  sadder  than  the  sadness  of  a  happy  man. 
To  distract  him,  I  turned  the  conversation,  and 
talked  of  myself  and  the  projects  I  had  under  way. 
His  face  changed  at  once,  and  a  cheerful  smile 
played  about  his  mouth. 

"Bravo,  Captain!  At  last  you  are  going  to  be 
our  own,"  he  cried,  hugging  me  until  he  choked 
me. 

We  talked  the  matter  over  carefully.  At  last 
we  decided  that,  considering  my  age  and  character, 
I  must  not  conduct  myself  like  a  youth,  but  with 
all  due  formality.  After  gaining  the  consent  of 
Isabelita,  which  Marti  seemed  to  think  already 
assured,  I  must,  before  entering  upon  our  relations, 
visit  her  people  and  talk  seriously  with  them. 
This  plan  captured  his  imagination  and  he  drove 
along  assuredly.  He  cheered  me,  embraced  me 
several  times,  calling  me  cousin,  and  promising 
me  to  help  me  all  that  he  could,  and  promised,  too, 
that  Cristina  would  do  the  same. 

We  returned  to  the  dining-room.  Our  cheerful 
countenances  were  in  great  contrast  to  the  solemn 
and  dejected  ones  there.  Dona  Amparo's  eyes  still 
showed  the  water-marks  of  their  recent  flood.  Ma- 
tilde — there  is  no  saying  how  she  was.  Isabelita, 
who  was  staying  with  her  cousins,  received  me  with 
the  same  blushes,  but  without  any  great  signs  of 
rejoicing,  which  I  attributed  to  the  trouble  her 
12  177 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

family  was  in.  Castell  was,  as  always,  cold  and 
disdainful.  Cristina — I  cannot  express  how  I 
found  Cristina.  Her  eyes  had  a  strange  sadness, 
which  impressed  me  painfully.  I  at  once  im- 
agined that  she  found  herself  bowed  beneath  the 
burden  of  some  great  wrong,  and  that  this  could  be 
nothing  else  but  the  infamous  gallantry  of  Castell. 
Perhaps  he  had  narrowed  the  circle.  Perhaps — 
oh,  what  a  thought! 

All  at  once  I  saw  her  eyes  brighten  with  delight 
at  the  entrance  of  the  nurse  with  my  god-daughter 
in  her  arms.  She  was  a  beautiful  rosebud,  fresh, 
sweet,  delicate,  and  probably,  as  that  is  the  rule, 
dowered  with  marvellous  intelligence.  Marti 
would  have  testified  to  that  with  his  blood. 

To  carry  conviction  to  our  minds,  he  found  no 
more  adequate  means  than  to  enter  upon  a  series 
of  mimic  representations,  certain  of  which  had  a 
surprising  success.  First  he  intoned  a  hymn  of 
the  Church  with  the  voice  of  a  precentor.  The 
little  girl  at  once  began  to  put  up  her  lips  and 
burst  out  crying.  Then  he  sang  some  sequidillas, 
and  the  youngster  at  once  cheered  up  and  began 
to  bounce,  trying  to  get  down  on  the  floor,  doubt- 
less to  run  away  on  all  fours.  He  barked,  he 
mewed,  he  crowed  like  a  cock,  and  we  understood 
at  once  that  the  little  one  had  no  lack  of  zoological 
notions,  but  had  an  idea  of  the  classifications  intro- 
duced in  the  animal  kingdom. 
178 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Marti  demonstrated  the  thesis  in  a  way  which 
left  no  room  for  doubt,  and  proud  of  the  impres- 
sion on  the  assemblage  that  his  notable  experi- 
ments succeeded  in  making,  he  considered  it  proper 
next  to  take  the  child  from  her  nurse's  arms  and 
toss  her  up  and  down  in  his  own  like  a  bottle  of 
ink.  Maybe  he  imagined  that  by  this  method 
of  concentration  he  would  invigorate  still  more  her 
psychic  faculties.  But  he  did  not  go  on  with  this 
long  enough  to  make  her  black.  The  little  creat- 
ure, not  familiarized  with  his  novel  method,  ob- 
jected to  it  with  loud  screams  and  all  the  indigna- 
tion of  her  soul.  Cristina  took  her,  did  all  that 
she  could  to  hush  her,  and  gave  her  again  to  the 
nurse,  who  was  the  one  who  really  brought  calm 
into  her  outraged  heart. 

Before  we  went  in  to  supper,  they  obliged  me 
to  dismiss  my  cab.  Castell  would  take  me  back  in 
his  own.  I  tried  to  get  out  of  this,  because  the 
company  of  this  gentleman  grew  constantly  more 
distasteful  to  me;  but  it  was  not  possible.  Emilio, 
with  his  characteristic  impetuosity  and  slight 
knowledge  of  men,  gave  the  order  to  the  coachman 
to  depart. 

They  placed  me  beside  Isabelita.  Everybody 
would  say  that  that  was  perfectly  natural,  and  that 
I  ought  to  have  been  whispering  to  her  all  the 
evening.  Of  this  I  have  nothing  to  say.  Per- 
chance, if  they  had  been  asked  if  I  should  touch 
179 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

her  foot  gently  with  my  own  and  fondle  her  hand 
underneath  the  table,  some  of  them  would  have 
held  a  contrary  opinion  and  would  have  discussed 
it  more  or  less  at  length.  But  I,  deciding  that  the 
majority  would  finally  decide  in  favor  of  it,  did  not 
hesitate  in  anticipating  the  decisions  of  such  a 
tribunal. 

At  twenty  minutes  after  ten  I  settled  down  in  a 
corner  of  the  dining-room  where  Retamoso's  girl 
was,  and  where  I  could  chat  freely  with  her.  I 
told  her  first  that  she  was  the  only  woman  in  the 
world  who  could  make  me  happy;  second,  that  by 
my  frank  and  sympathetic  character,  and  by  my 
honorable  intentions — and  because  of  the  voice  I 
said  it  in — I  deserved  what  would  make  me  happy. 
In  accordance  with  these  things  I  was  resolved 
that  on  the  following  day  I  would  give  an  account 
of  this  matter  to  Senor  and  Senora  Retamoso.  It 
was  then  twenty-five  minutes  after  ten. 

Our  deliberations  continued  a  little  longer.  Cas- 
tell  was  accustomed  to  depart  at  eleven,  and  he 
asked  me  politely  if  I  wished  to  do  the  same.  I 
agreed,  as  was  proper,  since  the  family  would  wish 
to  retire,  and  we  betook  ourselves  to  the  city.  Dur- 
ing the  ride  I  had  occasion  to  think  once  more 
that  it  was  an  error  of  nature  that  I  had  hair  on 
my  face,  and  that  instead  of  a  hat  I  should  have 
covered  my  childish  thoughts  with  a  thick  hood. 
That  gentleman,  penetrating  into  the  secret  labor- 
ISO 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

atory  of  life,  arranged  the  facts  of  being  in  his 
mind,  taking  pains  to  pit  his  ideas  against  my  in- 
experienced reasonings;  sometimes  yawning,  again 
smilingly  pardoning  my  puerilities.  Take  it  all 
together,  he  handled  me  so  well  that,  in  conse- 
quence, I  could  feel  a  real  hood  on  my  head.  But 
that  which  stirred  me  up  most  was  his  gracious 
manner  of  considering  me  a  man;  and  the  recog- 
nition of  this  attitude  towards  me  irritated  me 
more  than  ever,  and  I  swore  between  my  teeth  that 
I  would  never  ride  'again  in  his  cab,  but  would, 
instead,  go  on  my  own  feet. 

Next  day,  solemnly  attired  in  a  coat  which  had 
made  the  voyage  to  America  eleven  times  and  to 
Hamburg  thirty-seven,  I  presented  myself  at  the 
Eetamoso  house.  It  was  situated  on  the  Plaza  del 
Mercado,  not  far  from  the  Lorija,  and  was  more 
substantial  than  beautiful,  of  modern  construction, 
only  one  floor  above  the  business  rooms,  with  a 
plain  front  destitute  of  ornamental  carvings,  with 
three  large  doors  and  three  little  stone  balconies. 
But  it  was  much  more  spacious  than  its  exterior 
promised.  Its  warerooms,  occupying  the  corner 
part,  were  large  and  high  as  the  salons  of  a  palace. 
Great  piles  of  codfish,  barrels  of  flour  and  of  alco- 
hol, cases  of  sugar  and  cocoa  filled  it,  forming 
narrow  and  intricate  passages.  Through  these  I 
went,  half-suffocated  by  the  distasteful  odors  of 
these  products  of  overseas,  and  preceded  by  a  clerk 
181 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

with  a  pen  behind  his  ear,  until  I  reached  the  back 
of  the  room,  where  there  were  three  glass  doors, 
giving  upon  a  patio.  Near  one  of  these  was  a 
low  railing  of  pine,  painted  green;  in  the  middle, 
a  single  table  and  a  big  desk;  and  behind  the  table 
and  the  desk,  a  little  man  with  an  embroidered 
velvet  skull-cap.  It  was  himself,  Senor  Retamoso. 

"  Senor  de  Ribot!  What  good  fortune  is  this?  " 
he  exclaimed,  rising  to  come  out  of  the  enclosure, 
making  numberless  bows,  and  lifting  his  hand  as 
many  times  more  to  his  skull-cap.  "  To  what  do 
we  owe  the  honor?  " 

"I  wish  to  speak  a  few  words  to  you/'  I  answered, 
casting  a  significant  glance  at  the  clerk,  who,  un- 
derstanding, disappeared  in  the  zigzag  passages. 

The  face  of  Senor  Retamoso  underwent  an  enor- 
mous change.  The  delight  that  had  overspread  it 
was  swiftly  succeeded  by  a  deep  sadness.  It  was 
as  if  a  cloud  had  intercepted  in  an  unexpected 
fashion  the  rays  of  life  and  warmth,  withering  and 
drying  up  that  which  a  moment  before  had  been 
joyous  welcome. 

"  Very  well.  I  will  be  with  you  in  a  moment," 
he  murmured,  re-entering  the  enclosure,  carefully 
locking  the  safe  and  putting  the  key  in  his 
trousers  pocket. 

This  done,  he  came  out  and,  facing  me,  said  in  a 
glacial  way: 

"  I  am  at  your  service." 
182 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"This  good  man  thinks  I  have  come  to  beg 
money/'  I  said  to  myself,  surprised  at  this  change. 

"  The  occasion  of  this  visit,"  I  said  with  hesita- 
tion, "  is  a  little  delicate.  It  is  possible  that  you 
know." 

"  I  know  nothing,"  he  declared,  resolutely  cut- 
ting me  short. 

"I  meant  to  say  it  is  possible  that  you  have 
suspected " 

"I  have  suspected  nothing,"  he  said  in  turn, 
more  dryly  still. 

A  little  irritated  by  these  interruptions,  I  said 
with  spirit: 

"It  is  all  the  same.  You  are  going  to  know 
now.  It  has  to  do  with  a  certain  sympathetic  un- 
derstanding established  between  your  daughter 
Isabelita  and  me.  As  this  sympathy  might  in 
time  be  transformed  into  affection,  and  be  carried 
to  the  point  of  loving  relations,  I  thought  that  I 
ought  to  consult  the  will  of  her  parents.  My  age 
forbids  flirtations  or  a  clandestine  courtship.  Fur- 
ther, the  friendship  that  binds  me  to  Marti,  in 
whose  house  I  had  the  honor  of  meeting  your 
daughter,  and  the  kindness,  however  unmerited, 
with  which  your  wife  and  you  have  honored  me, 
oblige  me  to  conduct  myself  frankly  and  loyally." 

The  round  face  of  Uncle  Diego  resumed  its 
first  expression.     The  cloud  that  intercepted  the 
rays  of  delight  had  been  chased  away. 
183 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Oh,  Senor  de  Ribot!  What  do  I  hear?  I  knew 
nothing.  I  had  heard  nothing.  I  am  a  poor  man. 
Why  not  go  to  my  wife,  who  understands  it  much 
better,  and  will  know  what  I  ought  to  answer?" 
he  exclaimed  smiling,  all  honey,  lifting  his  hand  to 
his  embroidered  skull-cap,  and  throwing  back  his 
leg  so  as  to  make  a  deeper  bow. 

"  I  thought  of  seeing  both  of  you." 

"  Oh,  Senor  de  Ribot!  But  why?  Come,  come 
with  me.  I  will  take  you  to  the  place  where  you 
can  adjust  this  account.  I  know  nothing  about 
these  experiences,  but  there  is  one  in  the  house  who 
knows  more  than  Merlin.  Take  care,  Senor  de 
Ribot,  take  good  care.  Keep  your  stirrups.  Who- 
ever has  to  come  to  an  understanding  with  my 
lady  needs  the  use  of  his  head." 

Going  on  like  this,  he  conducted  me  to  a  stair- 
case, and  by  it  we  ascended  to  the  principal  story. 
Once  arrived,  he  squeezed  my  hand  hard  between 
his  own,  and,  in  a  falsetto  voice,  recommended  me 
to  look  out  for  myself  when  talking  before  his  wife, 
and  not  be  disconcerted  in  her  presence.  He 
promised  that  he  would  help  me  all  that  he  was 
able,  but  that  I  must  not  expect  much,  as  he  also 
felt  constraint  before  Dona  Clara. 

"  She  is  a  deep  woman,  Senor  de  Ribot.  When 
I  say  this,  I  say  all." 

Without  freeing  me,  he  led  me  to  the  door  of  a 
parlor,  and  gave  two  knocks  upon  it  with  his 
184 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

knuckles;  the  voice  of  Dona  Clara  was  heard,  say- 
ing: 

"  Enter." 

Retamoso  again  squeezed  my  hand  to  encourage 
me,  and  we  entered  the  apartment. 

Dona  Clara  was  discovered  dressed  in  black,  as 
correct  and  elegant  as  ever,  seated  in  a  leather 
chair,  with  a  book  in  her  hands.  She  took  from 
her  aquiline  nose  her  gold-bowed  glasses  and  let 
them  hang  suspended  over  her  breast  by  their 
golden  chain.  She  gave  me  her  hand,  at  the  same 
time  casting  upon  me  a  look  so  imposing  that,  in 
spite  of  the  valor  wherewith  her  spouse  had  inspired 
me,  I  could  do  no  less  than  tremble.  Then  she 
took  her  tragic  figure  up  out  of  her  chair  and  went 
and  sat  down  in  the  middle  of  a  sofa  of  green 
velvet,  inviting  us  by  a  gesture  to  place  ourselves 
in  the  arm-chairs  that  were  on  either  side.  We 
obeyed  orders,  and  Retamoso,  finding  no  more 
excellent  resource  as  a  preparation  for  the  session 
than  to  rub  his  knees  with  the  palms  of  his  hands, 
looked  at  me  meanwhile  sadly  and  anxiously. 

"  Senor  de  Ribot/'  he  said  at  last,  "  I  beg  you  to 
tell  my  wife  what  you  have  just  had  the  kindness 
to  tell  me." 

"It  has  to  do,  senora,"  I  said  in  a  trembling 

voice,  "with  a  delicate  matter  that  I  desire  to 

submit  to  the  approval  of  you  both.     So  if  I  take 

the  liberty  of  speaking  of  it  to  you,  it  is  solely 

185 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

that,  no  matter  what,  it  cannot  be  said  that  I  lacked 
in  showing  the  respect  and  esteem  with  which  you 
inspire  me.  Between  Isabelita  and  me  an  especial 
friendship,  is  beginning  to  take  shape " 

"  I  know  it,"  interrupted  Dona  Clara  solemnly. 

There  followed  a  moment  of  suspense,  then  I 
went  on: 

"  Isabelita,  because  of  the  gifts  of  character,  in- 
nocence, and  modesty  which  adorn  her,  deserves 
not  only  affection,  but  hearty  admiration.  I  can- 
not, naturally,  explain  all  the  charm  that  she  has 
for  me  since  I  have  felt  myself  attracted  towards 
her.  I  found  courage  to  give  her  to  understand 
this,  and  I  natter  myself  to  think  that  she  did  not 
take  it  ill.  Until  now  no  bond  has  existed  between 
us,  except  a  sensitive  attraction " 

"  I  know  it,"  said  Dona  Clara  once  more,  with 
the  same  solemnity. 

I  felt  even  more  constrained.  Retamoso  gave 
me  several  encouraging  grins,  and  taking  breath, 
I  was  able  to  go  on: 

"  From  then  until  now  I  can  affirm  that  there 
has  been  nothing  serious  between  us.  I  could  not 
do  otherwise,  as  I  would  never  think  of  aspiring 
without  the  permission  of  her  parents.  But  how- 
ever this  inclination  may  seem  unexpected,  when 
I  embarked  for  Hamburg  two  months  ago,  I  car- 
ried the  thought  with  me,  and  the  resolution  to 

strengthen  this  dawning  friendship " 

186 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  I  know  it,"  once  more  said  Dona  Clara  with, 
even  more  solemnity,  if  that  were  possible. 

I  remained  mute  and  confused,  giving  up  my 
disclosures,  which  the  supernatural  penetration  of 
this  lady  left  useless.  But  I  could  not  help  ad- 
miring the  singular  contrast  between  these  con- 
sorts— he  knew  nothing,  she  knew  everything. 

Eetamoso  gave  me  several  mischievous  winks, 
making  me  understand  that  this  was  to  be  expected 
and  had  nothing  surprising  in  it.  Dona  Clara,  at 
the  end  of  a  short  silence,  held  herself  up  still  more 
erect,  and  blowing  her  nose  in  a  manner  to  inspire 
a  monkey  with  awe,  said: 

"  Before  going  farther,  I  beg  you  to  let  us  con- 
tinue the  conversation  in  English.  The  subject 
is  so  serious  and  delicate  that  it  demands  it." 

I  profess  and  have  always  professed  a  great  ad- 
miration for  the  language  and  literature  of  Great 
Britain.  On  the  little  book-shelf  of  my  cabin 
voyaged  always  the  "  Tom  Jones  "  of  Fielding,  the 
"  Don  Juan "  of  Byron,  and  certain  books  of 
Shakespeare.  But,  in  spite  of  this  admiration,  I 
had  never  supposed  that  it  was  the  only  idiom  in 
which  grave  and  delicate  subjects  could  be  treated. 
I  did  not  seek,  however,  to  oppose  this  fine  philo- 
logical stroke,  nor  to  discuss  the  preference  that 
the  stern  mamma  of  Isabelita  showed  for  one 
branch  of  the  Indo-European  languages  over  its 
sister  tongues,  and  hastened  to  yield  to  her  request. 
187 


The  Joy  of"  Captain  Ribot 

With  this  the  surprise,  delight,  and  grins  of  Reta- 
moso  reached  a  climax.  He  put  his  finger  to  his 
forehead,  arched  his  eyebrows,  opened  his  eyes 
absurdly,  and  several  times  when  Doiia  Clara  could 
not  see,  being  turned  towards  me,  he  lifted  his 
hands  to  heaven,  murmuring  unheard: 
"  What  a  woman!  What  a  woman!  " 
Dona  Clara,  without  being  at  all  set  up  by  this 
idolatrous  worship,  let  me  know  in  guttural  and 
emphatic  English  that  nothing  of  all  I  had  said, 
done,  or  thought  had  been  hid  from  her,  and  that 
she  knew  also  all  that  had  been  said,  done,  or 
thought  by  her  daughter  Isabelita.  This  declara- 
tion filled  my  mind  with  a  feeling  of  littleness  and 
limitation  that  ended  by  humbling  me.  In  the 
impossibility,  then,  of  supplying  any  facts  she  did 
not  know,  or  of  uttering  one  thought  worthy  of  the 
intellectual  height  of  this  lady,  I  took  upon  myself 
the  role  of  calming  down,  submitting  my  feeble 
reasons  beforehand  to  her  own. 

After  sniffing  several  times  like  a  ship  display- 
ing its  banner  on  weighing  anchor  in  a  port,  and 
after  fixing  upon  her  nose  her  gold-bowed  glasses  to 
contemplate  me  for  a  while  in  silence,  Dona  Clara 
found  it  well  to  give  me  some  account  of  her  in- 
tentions. Isabelita  was  a  child,  I  was  a  man.  Lay- 
ing down  these  two  propositions,  at  first  sight  un- 
deniable, Dona  Clara  logically  deduced  from  them 
that  it  was  necessary  to  be  careful.  A  child  does 
188 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

not  generally  know  what  she  wants;  a  man  is  in 
duty  bound  to  know.  Further,  it  was  impossible 
to  put  aside  what  I  wished  for. 

"  Senor  de  Eibot,"  Eetamoso  at  this  point  inter- 
rupted, "  will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  put  what  my 
wife  says  to  you  into  Castilian  for  me?  " 

This  was  done,  and  when  he  found  out  what  was 
meant,  he  expressed  noisy  enthusiasm,  exclaiming 
energetically: 

"  Just  so!  That's  it!  Exactly!  That's  it,  that's 
it!  Just  so!  That's  it!  " 

Dona  Clara  did  not  pay  the  slightest  attention 
to  these  words,  and  keeping  her  nose  pointed  the 
same  way,  submitted  me  to  a  long  and  careful  ex- 
amination. Although  I  was  sufficiently  upset,  I 
answered  her  questions  clearly,  and  had  the  satis- 
faction of  noting  certain  slight  signs  of  acquies- 
cence that  touched  my  pride.  She  examined  my 
pretensions,  and  (as  a  result  of  the  conscientious 
investigation  concerning  my  conduct,  which  was 
carried  to  the  extreme)  Dona  Clara  declared  at 
last,  turning  her  head  slowly  towards  her  husband 
like  a  globe  revolving  on  its  axis,  that  I  was  "  a 
decent  person,"  a  thing  that  I  had  never  doubted 
in  my  most  extravagant  moments. 

Every  phase  of  the  investigation  was  successively 
and  faithfully  interpreted  by  me  into  Castilian,  so 
that  Senor  Eetamoso  could  understand.  Every- 
thing won  from  him  the  same  warm  approval,  and 
189 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

was  greeted  with  a  salvo  of  "  That's  it's! "  and 
"  Just  so's! " 

Doiia  Clara  terminated  the  interview  by  rising 
from  the  sofa,  and  with  the  same  firmness,  the  same 
impassive  calm  and  sang-froid,  let  me  know  that 
here  would  be  my  home,  and  that  she  would  have 
much  pleasure  in  receiving  me  whenever  I  wished 
to  come.  Saying  this,  she  let  her  glasses  drop  by 
means  of  a  clever  and  surprising  jerk  of  her  nose, 
and  presented  me  her  hand.  I  took  it  with  the 
greatest  veneration. 

"  Permit  me,  Senor  de  Kibot!  One  moment, 
one  moment,  no  more!  "  exclaimed  Retamoso,  who, 
following  our  example,  had  also  risen.  "  I  have 
not  the  knowledge  that  my  wife  has,  nor  do  I 
understand  foreign  tongues.  So  I  am  not  sure 
that  I  understand  all  that  you  desire.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  I  understood  that  there  is  something 
between  you  and  Isabelita." 

"  Are  we  still  there?  "  I  said  between  my  teeth, 
looking  at  him  with  surprise  and  anxiety.  As  for 
Dona  Clara,  she  cast  a  look  upon  him  that  might 
have  ground  him  to  powder. 

"  Yes,  senor,"  I  replied  shortly  at  last. 

"  Bear  with  me,  Senor  de  Ribot.  I  am  a  little 
slow  of  understanding,  and  especially  in  matters 
so  fine  as  these.  Yet  I  believe  I  understood 
(pardon  me  if  I  mistake)  that  you  desire  our 
permission  to  pay  court  to  her.  Pardon  me,  for 
190 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

heaven's  sake,  if  I  do  not  express  myself  like  you 
two." 

"  Yes,  senor,  I  desire  your  authorization  to  con- 
firm my  relations  with  Isabelita." 

"Precisely!  That's  it!  I  see  that  I  am  not 
mistaken.  Well,  then,  sir,  I  am  agreeable  to  all 
that  Dona  Clara  has  said,  and  if  she  had  said  more, 
I  should  be  still  more  agreeable.  You  already 
know  my  opinion  of  you,  Senor  de  Eibot.  When 
there  is  a  head  in  the  house  capable  of  giving  use- 
ful advice  in  all  affairs,  why  bother  one's  head  dis- 
cussing them?  Only  I  desire  that  in  this  nothing 
is  promised  on  our  side.  For  the  present,  nothing 
is  settled.  If  later,  Senor  de  Eibot,  we  are  of  the 
same  opinion,  and  all  come  to  an  understanding, 
we  shall  be  able  to  talk  in  another  fashion.  My 
wife  has  already  talked  in  another  fashion,  and  I 
have  not  cut  her  short;  but  you  understand  me, 
senor?  " 

I  understood  perfectly  that  this  crafty  Ualician, 
before  giving  his  word,  wished  to  find  out  exactly 
how  much  I  was  worth.  I  let  myself  be  imposed 
upon  by  the  ruse.  I  accepted  what  he  proposed, 
saying  that  my  visit  was  not  an  official  one,  but 
merely  a  simple  call  of  courtesy  and  respect,  and 
that  I  desired  that  they  should  retain  their  liberty, 
as  I  retained  my  own. 

"  That's  it!    Just  so!     Nothing  is  settled." 

Dona  Clara  had  maintained  her  rigid  and  im- 
191 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

movable  position  while  we  were  talking,  gazing 
into  space  over  our  heads  in  an  attitude  solemn  and 
disdainful;  nothing  would  give  an  idea  how  gran- 
diose it  was,  except  the  Minerva  of  Phidias  on  top 
of  the  Acropolis,  if  by  chance  this  work  of  the  an- 
tique pagan  master  had  been  preserved  intact  until 
our  time.  She  remained  thus  until  I,  taking  my- 
self to  the  stairway,  disappeared  from  her  horizon. 
Retamoso  went  down  stairs  with  me,  took  me  as  far 
as  the  door,  pulled  off  his  skull-cap,  and  uttering 
a  thousand  oh's  and  ah's,  pressed  both  my  hands 
with  inexplicable  tenderness,  and  said  in  my  ear, 
as  he  dismissed  me,  "  It  is  understood,  Seiior  de 
Ribot,  that  nothing  is  settled,  isn't  it?  My  opinion 
is  that  nothing  should  be  settled." 

My  good  Marti  laughed  not  a  little  when  I  re- 
lated to  him  the  details  of  this  interview.  He  con- 
gratulated me  warmly,  and,  carried  away  by  his 
fanciful  optimism,  he  sketched  out  twenty  plans, 
each  more  agreeable  than  the  last,  for  my  future. 
I  was  to  become  very  rich,  and  be  associated  with 
him  and  Castell  in  a  steamboat  line  whose  direction 
should  be  my  charge.  I  should  also  have  a  part  in 
the  business  of  the  artesian  wells  when  they  began 
to  strike  water.  In  regard  to  the  canals  from  the 
river,  he  expressed  sincere  regret  that  it  was  im- 
possible at  present  to  give  me  anything  to  do.  I 
replied  that  that  did  not  weigh  on  me;  I  would  try 
to  live  without  it.  My  resignation  moved  him  so 
102 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

much  that  he  finished  by  saying,  running  both 
hands  through  his  tresses: 

"  I  shall  be  very  much  annoyed  if,  after  all,  we 
don't  find  a  way  for  you  to  get  a  show  in  this  busi- 
ness, for  it  is  going  to  be  the  best  thing  ever  done 
in  Spain  before  to-day." 

When  what  had  taken  place  was  made  known 
to  Cristina,  she  showed  herself  more  affectionate 
and  kind  to  me  than  usual.  I  observed,  none  the 
less,  on  her  face  a  melancholy  expression  that  she 
tried  in  vain  to  conceal.  She  made  a  visible  effort 
to  appear  gay,  but  at  the  best  she  seemed  a  bit 
absent,  and  her  great  black  eyes  were  often  fixed 
upon  space,  revealing  deep  absorption. 

I  stayed  to  supper  with  them.  We  were  at  table, 
besides  the  married  couple  and  their  mamma,  Isa- 
belita,  Castell,  and  Matilde,  with  all  her  children, 
who  entertained  us  very  much.  The  deserted  wife, 
whose  eyes  were  now  always  red,  smiled  sadly,  see- 
ing the  tenderness  and  enthusiasm  with  which 
these  little  creatures  inspired  me.  There  was  not 
lacking  someone — I  think  it  was  Dona  Amparo — 
to  hint  that  I  was  going  to  be  a  most  affectionate 
father,  which  caused  Isabelita  a  veritable  suffoca- 
tion of  blushes.  This  color  came  back  several 
times  during  supper,  because  Marti  thought  well  to 
season  it  with  more  or  less  transparent  allusions  to 
our  future  kinship.  Above  all,  when  he  opened  a 
bottle  of  champagne,  and,  lifting  the  goblet,  drank 
13  193 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

to  the  wish  "  that  Captain  Ribot  would  cast  anchor 
in  Valencia  for  life,"  the  cheeks  of  his  cousin  did 
not  set  fire  to  the  house,  because,  fortunately,  there 
was  no  combustible  material  stowed  near  them. 

When  we  rose  from  table  to  take  a  turn  in  the 
garden,  I  offered  my  arm  to  Cristina.  I  had  a  lively 
desire  to  talk  with  her,  to  sound  her  soul,  which 
seemed  to  me  to  be  disturbed.  Before  seeking 
refuge  in  another  port,  where  the  fate  that  was 
controlling  me  was  drawing  me,  I  ought  to  know 
that  it  was  the  will  of  God;  but  never,  never  could 
I  forget  that  dream  of  love.  This  was  the  truth. 
Although  I  had  made  heroic  efforts  to  drive  it 
away,  thinking  of  other  scenes,  other  joys,  other 
duties,  it  returned  persistently  to  charm  my  nights 
and  to  disturb  my  conscience. 

I  had  already  taken  her  hand  upon  my  arm  when 
Castell,  coming  up  to  us  and  making  a  little  bow, 
said: 

"  Have  we  not  arranged  that  this  evening  I  was 
to  be  your  escort?"  At  the  same  time  he  cast 
upon  her  a  particular  look;  it  was  threatening,  and 
did  not  soften  the  cold  smile  that  played  about  his 
lips. 

Cristina  responded  with  a  timid  glance  and 
hastened  to  release  my  arm  from  her  own,  saying 
in  an  altered  voice: 

"  Thank  you,  Captain  Ribot.  Enrique  had  in- 
vited me  before " 

194 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

And  they  departed  down  the  stairway.  From 
above,  when  the  light  of  the  vestibule  fell  upon 
their  faces,  I  could  see  that  Castell  was  talking  to 
her  with  an  angry  gesture,  as  if  he  were  making 
recriminations,  and  that  she  was  excusing  herself 
with  the  greatest  humility. 

Oh,  God!  the  veil  that  had  hid  the  truth  from 
me  was  swiftly  torn  away.  That  man  must  even 
now  be  her  lover.  All  the  blood  in  my  veins  rushed 
to  my  heart.  I  felt  giddy  and  was  obliged  to  grasp 
the  railing  so  as  not  to  fall. 


195 


CHAPTEE   XII. 

I  CAN  swear  that  no  anger  entered  into  the  agi- 
tation that  I  experienced.  My  pride  did  not 
resent  her  preference.  I  only  felt  a  mortal  sadness 
as  if  the  last  illusion  left  to  me  in  life  had  flown 
away  and  escaped.  And  more,  the  deep  love  where- 
with she  inspired  me  was  not  quenched  or  les- 
sened. The  respect  and  idolatry  of  my  sentiment 
were  weakened,  it  is  true,  but  its  tenderness  was  at 
the  same  time  increased.  The  goddess  had  fallen 
from  her  pedestal  and  was  transformed  into  a 
woman.  Losing  in  majesty,  she  had  gained  in 
charm. 

During  the  days  following,  I  observed  that  the 
humble  expression  of  her  face  that  had  so  much 
surprised  me  grew  more  marked.  From  this  I 
judged  that  she  acknowledged  her  fault  and 
begged  my  pardon.  Instead  of  showing  myself 
troubled,  I  did  everything  possible  to  appear  more 
respectful  and  cordial  than  before.  She  recog- 
nized this,  and  constantly  gave  me  proofs  of  her 
affectionate  friendship.  Her  heart  was  noble;  if 
she  had  fallen  in  her  own  sight,  it  was  owing  to 
190 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

fatal  circumstance,  and  not  to  her  vicious  inclina- 
tion. Such  were  then  my  sentiments. 

And  Marti?  Poor  Emilio!  Every  time  that  I 
saw  him  I  felt  more  and  more  attracted  by  his 
generosity  and  innocence.  I  thought  that  he  was 
a  little  thinner,  but  always  cheerful  and  always 
confiding.  We  spent  one  afternoon  alone  at  the 
seaside.  As  neither  he  nor  I  was  out  of  humor 
our  conversation  ran  playfully  from  one  subject  to 
another,  and  we  laughed  at  the  anecdotes  we  hap- 
pened to  remember.  One  of  those  that  I  told  had 
better  fortune  than  it  deserved.  He  laughed  so 
much  that  at  the  end  he  grew  pale,  put  his  hand  to 
his  chest,  and,  to  the  great  terror  of  us  both,  threw 
up  blood.  I  helped  him  as  well  as  I  could,  carried 
him  to  a  fountain  near  by,  where  he  drank  water 
and  washed  himself.  I  was  much  startled  by  this. 
I  could  scarcely  speak.  I  encouraged  him,  how- 
ever, telling  him  that  this  was  not  important,  and 
citing  numerous  cases  of  friends  who  had  had  this 
sort  of  thing  without  any  serious  consequences. 
When  he  had  composed  himself,  he  smiled. 

"  You  are  right.  It  is  nothing.  I  am  sure 
that  my  lungs  are  perfectly  sound,  because  until 
now  I  have  never  even  coughed.  I  will  take  a 
little  better  care  of  myself,  and  when  summer 
comes,  I  will  go  as  a  precautionary  measure  to  Pan- 
ticosa.  But  it  is  necessary  to  keep  all  this  from 
Cristina.  You  know  how  women  are.  Don't  say 
197 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

anything  to  Castell  either.  He  is  very  pessimistic, 
and  his  affection  for  me  would  make  him  alarmed. 
He  would  be  capable,  in  his  anxiety,  of  revealing  it 
to  Cristina." 

My  eyes,  in  spite  of  myself,  filled  with  tears. 
Seeing  this,  he  appeared  surprised;  there  was  a 
moment  of  suspense;  then,  laughing  aloud,  he  em- 
braced me,  exclaiming: 

"  You  are  very  original,  Captain!  There  is  some 
strength  to  be  desired  here  too!  But  I  confess  that 
if  I  had  not  such  a  practical  temperament,  and 
were  not  accustomed  to  examine  every  subject 
coolly,  this  would  make  me  apprehensive.  Fortu- 
nately, I  know  what  to  count  on  in  the  strength 
of  my  constitution." 

"  My  emotion  was  caused  by  surprise,"  I  has- 
tened to  say,  to  mend  matters.  "  And  then  I  am 
not  very  well  these  days;  my  nerves  are  upset.  But, 
as  I  have  said,  this  means  nothing,  especially  for 
you,  who  seem  to  be  such  a  robust  man." 

"The  most  robust  of  men!  I  have  nothing 
more  than  a  rather  weak  stomach,  and  some- 
times a  little  kidney  trouble.  Except  for  this,  I 
am  an  oak.  If  this  were  not  so,  how  could  I 
endure  all  the  work  loaded  on  my  shoulders, 
the  frequent  journeys,  and  all  that  I  have  to 
carry?  " 

"  Exactly.     I  have  no  doubt  of  it.     And  you 
have  never  before  felt  any  pain  in  your  lungs?  " 
198 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Marti  took  a  few  steps,  looked  at  me  closely,  and 
in  a  voice  made  to  seem  strong  by  a  special  effort, 
answered: 

"  My  lungs  are  those  of  an  athlete! " 

"Indeed?" 

"  Those  of  a  gladiator,"  he  insisted,  shaking  his 
head  with  an  air  of  unquenchable  conviction. 

Upon  this  he  launched  into  a  panegyric  of  his 
respiratory  apparatus  with  much  enthusiasm  and 
warmth.  He  could  not  have  been  more  eloquent 
if  he  had  been  a  commercial  traveller  and  was 
offering  it  as  a  sample  to  a  great  commercial  house. 
I  congratulated  him  with  equal  enthusiasm  on  the 
possession  of  such  a  perfect  example.  Inspired 
by  his  own  eulogies,  he  struck  his  chest,  taking 
deep  breaths,  then  sang  the  last  aria  of  "  Lucia." 
After  that,  who  could  have  any  doubts  of  his 
organs? 

We  returned  to  the  house,  he  in  an  excellent 
humor,  but  not  I;  for  in  spite  of  his  weight  of  tes- 
timony, I  was  not  able  to  dismiss  certain  appre- 
hensions. Indeed,  as  our  pathway  narrowed,  and 
he  walked  ahead  of  me,  his  narrow  shoulders,  his 
long  neck  and  drooping  ears,  did  not  remind  me 
of  the  figure  of  Milon  of  Crotona  nor  any  other 
winner  in  the  Olympian  games.  It  seemed  to  me 
that  such  magnificent  lungs  as  he  said  he  had 
would  not  have  chosen  such  a  poor  lodging. 

It  was  the  hour  of  twilight.  The  park  began  to 
199 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

be  filled  with  darkness  and  mystery.  Although  we 
were  in  the  last  days  of  September,  the  fresh  blos- 
soming flowers  of  that  fortunate  region  filled  the 
air  with  fragrance.  The  trees  were  as  green  and 
leafy  as  in  early  spring;  the  turf  shone  in  eternal 
freshness.  But  mingled  with  the  luxurious,  roman- 
tic scent  of  heliotrope,  roses,  and  violets  came  from 
surrounding  orchards  other  heavier  breaths  of  ripe 
fruits.  The  fruitful  earth  filled  the  air  of  heaven 
with  the  perfume  of  grapes  and  melons,  pears  and 
apples,  drying  hay  and  Indian  corn. 

In  front  of  the  house,  seated  in  rocking-chairs, 
we  found  Cristina  and  her  mother,  Isabelita,  Cas- 
tell,  and  Matilde.  Her  children  were  running 
about  the  garden,  cackling  and  gabbling  like  par- 
rots, while  their  unhappy  mother  watched  them 
with  a  melancholy  smile.  When  we  appeared  in 
front  of  a  close  thicket  of  Indian  cannas,  Castell 
was  seated  beside  Cristina,  talking  to  her  in  low 
tones.  She  cast  one  glance  at  her  husband,  then 
at  me,  and  at  once  lowered  her  eyes  with  a  serious, 
pondering  expression  on  her  face;  but  raising 
them  again,  she  scrutinized  Emilio  carefully,  while 
he  sat  down,  chatting  and  laughing  with  exagger- 
ated volubility.  Cristina  got  up,  went  over  to  him, 
and  said: 

"  Emilio,  you  are  pale.     Do  you  feel  ill  ?  " 
"I?     What  an  idea!     I  never  felt  better.     It  is 
because  I  have  been  laughing  all  the  afternoon. 
200 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

The  captain  has  a  stock  of  delicious  anecdotes.  At 
supper  we  must  tell  some  of  them;  not  all,  though, 
for  they  are  all  colors." 

She  was  not  satisfied;  but  although  she  went  and 
sat  down,  her  eyes  never  quitted  him.  Castell 
made  efforts  to  attract  her  attention,  talking  into 
her  ear.  The  conduct  of  that  man  seemed  to  me 
the  height  of  cynicism. 

Soon  it  was  quite  dark,  and  we  went  into  the 
dining-room,  where  it  was  light  and  the  table 
ready.  Just  as  we  were  going  to  sit  down  at  it, 
a  servant  entered,  and  calling  Marti  apart,  gave 
him  a  letter,  with  an  air  of  mystery.  He  opened 
it  at  once  and  was  not  able  to  repress  a  movement 
of  annoyance.  Pocketing  it  and  excusing  himself 
for  a  few  moments,  he  took  his  hat  and  went  out. 
Our  curiosity  was  excited,  but  nobody  said  any- 
thing. At  last  Cristina,  whose  anxiety  was  evi- 
dent, asked  the  man: 

"  Who  gave  you  the  letter?  " 

"  A  gentleman." 

"  Did  he  wait  for  an  answer?  " 

"  No,  senora.  He  wanted  to  speak  with  the 
senor,  and  he  went  across  by  the  main  door  to  wait 
for  him." 

The  unusualness  of  the  incident,  and  the  mys- 
terious manner  of  the  servant,  increased  our  curi- 
osity extraordinarily.  We  had  not  long  to  wait  for 
its  satisfaction.  Marti  presented  himself  in  a  few 
201 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

moments,  and,  putting  his  hat  down  on  a  chair, 
asked  jocularly: 

"  Don't  you  all  know  whom  I  shall  have  the 
honor  to  present  to  you?  " 

We  all  looked  eagerly  at  him. 

"  A  gentleman  whose  name  begins  with  an  S." 

"  Sabas!  "  exclaimed  Matilde. 

Her  next  act  was,  with  quivering  face  and  violent 
gestures,  to  hurry  her  children  out  of  their  chairs, 
and,  pushing  them  wildly  before  her,  get  them  out 
of  the  room,  herself  following  after. 

We  all  stood  up  in  our  agitation.  The  nose  of 
the  deserting  husband  was  promptly  stuck  in  at  the 
garden  door,  and  behind  it  entered  its  interesting 
proprietor.  A  groan  from  Dona  Amparo.  A  con- 
vulsive embrace  next,  tears  in  abundance. 

Sabas,  although  in  the  arms  of  his  mother,  cast 
a  wandering  and  afflicted  glance  about  the  dining- 
room. 

"  Matilde!  My  children!  "  he  cried  in  a  dramatic 
manner. 

"  All  have  abandoned  thee  except  thy  mother!  " 
responded  Dona  Amparo  in  most  pathetic  accents. 

Sabas  leaned  his  head,  a  resigned  victim,  against 
the  maternal  bosom.  At  this  Dona  Amparo 
hugged  him  yet  more  fervently,  ready  to  give  her 
life-blood  for  her  abandoned  son.  Pie  freed  him- 
self at  last,  arranged  hip  rravat,  and  held  out  his 
hand  to  us  solemnly,  in  the  dignified  attitude  of  a 
202 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

general  who  concludes  a  capitulation  after  a  heroic 
resistance. 

He  went  up  to  greet  Cristina,  but  she  turned  her 
back  upon  him,  and  went  out  of  the  room.  He 
shook  his  head  in  a  sentimental  manner,  and  gave 
u's  a  sweet,  expressive  glance.  Then  he  raised  his 
eyes  to  heaven,  as  if  petitioning  for  the  justice  that 
earth  denied  him. 

I  was  truly  alarmed  to  see  that  his  face  was 
black  and  the  skin  peeled  off  in  some  places,  espe- 
cially the  nose. 

He  looked  as  if  he  had  returned  from  a  scientific 
and  civilizing  expedition  into  Central  Africa, 
rather  than  from  a  romantic  expedition  with  a 
young  lady  to  the  capital  of  Catalonia. 

Dona  Amparo  made  him  drink  a  glass  of  orange- 
flower  water  to  calm  him.  There  was  no  need  of 
it.  His  attitude  on  that  critical  occasion,  at  once 
tranquil  and  resigned,  impressed  us  profoundly. 
However,  when  he  had  drunk  the  orange-flower 
water,  he  said  with  astonishing  firmness: 

"  I  must  see  Matilde." 

And,  joining  the  action  to  the  word,  he  pro- 
ceeded, full  of  majesty,  towards  the  door.  He 
went  on  into  the  inner  rooms.  And  we  all  fol- 
lowed him,  we  were  so  fascinated  by  his  noble  and 
severe  manner. 

We  were  filled  with  anxiety  concerning  the  dra- 
matic scene  that  was  going  to  take  place.  Sabas 
203 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

opened  two  or  three  doors  consecutively,  without 
being  able  to  find  his  wife.  But  his  intrepid  heart 
was  not  cast  down.  Without  uttering  a  word  he 
mounted  to  the  upper  story.  We  followed  him 
anxiously. 

Matilde  was  in  her  room,  and  Cristina  was  with 
her.  At  sight  of  her  husband  she  groaned  wrath- 
fully,  and  started  towards  another  door  to  try  to 
get  away  again.  Cristina  tried  to  detain  her. 

"  Let  me  go! "  she  cried  madly;  "  I  don't  wish 
to  see  him." 

"  Matilde,  for  heaven's  sake! "  cried  Cristina, 
embracing  her. 

"  Let  me  go,  let  me  go!  Everything  is  over 
between  us  two! " 

Then  the  fugitive,  standing  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  showed  that  his  strength  was  leaving  him. 
He  put  his  hand  feebly  to  his  forehead,  his  legs 
doubled  under  him,  and,  taking  just  enough  steps 
towards  a  sofa  to  reach  it,  he  fell  across  it  in  a 
swoon. 

We  all  ran  to  his  aid,  and  his  offended  wife  was 
not  the  last  one.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  she  who, 
grieving  and  trembling,  bathed  his  temples  with 
water,  and  unfastened  his  waistcoat  and  shirt  to 
help  him  breathe,  exclaiming  wildly: 

"  Sabas,  my  Sabas!     Forgive  me!  " 

Meanwhile,  Dona  Amparo  applied  to  his  nostrils 
various  chemical  products  of  a  stimulating  nature. 
204 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

The  rest  of  us  helped  on  the  restorative  work  more 
or  less  modestly,  bringing  a  carafe  of  water,  uncork- 
ing bottles,  or  giving  air  to  the  fainting  man  by 
means  of  a  fan. 

The  only  one  who  remained  inactive,  seeming 
indisposed  to  offer  any  hygienic  aid  to  her  brother, 
was  Cristina.  Standing  erect  near  us,  she  looked 
strangely  severe.  Doubtless  her  behavior  might 
seem  to  some  persons  cruel  and  unnatural;  but 
not  to  me,  for  my  deep,  unreasoning  love  for  this 
woman  made  all  that  she  did  seem  right  and 
proper,  her  every  movement  adorable. 

At  last  Sabas  returned  to  the  world  of  conscious- 
ness, and  asked  of  his  mother,  who  was  in  front  of 
him,  that  which  has  been  asked  so  many  times: 

"Where  am  I?" 

"  With  your  wife!  " 

"  With  your  mamma!  " 

"  Who  adores  you!  " 

"  Who  idolizes  you!  " 

Four  feminine  arms  embraced  him,  and  four 
lips  were  pressed  almost  at  the  same  time  above  his 
skinned  nose. 

His  eyes  wandered  about  the  room  at  all  of  us 
as  if  he  did  not  know  us,  and  were  fixed  at  last 
upon  his  wife;  then  he  groaned  frightfully: 

"Matilde!     Matilde!     Matilde! " 

Then  he  hugged  her  and  fell  back  in  an  attack 
of  convulsive  laughing.  His  loud  laughter  joined 
205 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

to  the  sobbing  of  his  wife  and  the  wails  of  Dona 
Amparo  made  a  terrifying  mixture  that  would 
have  melted  the  hardest  heart.  More,  by  virtue  of 
the  contagion  that  all  the  world  knows  lies  in  this 
sort  of  an  attack,  I  felt  a  shocking  desire  to  laugh 
also.  By  hard  work  I  managed  to  stifle  it.  I  left 
the  room  and  went  down  again  to  the  dining-room. 
The  others  were  not  long  in  following  me,  leaving 
Sabas  restored  and  at  peace  with  his  wife  and  his 
mother.  Ten  minutes  later  they  came  down  also. 
Cristina  gave  the  order  to  serve  the  soup,  and  I 
observed  with  some  astonishment  that  Sabas  dined 
with  an  excellent  appetite,  and  during  dinner 
showed  himself  as  gay  and  disputatious  and  smart 
as  ever.  His  wife  devoured  him  with  eyes  of 
pure  affection,  and  devoted  herself  to  waiting  upon 
him. 

When  we  finished,  he  rose  before  taking  his 
coffee,  lighted  a  good  cigar,  and  asked  his  brother- 
in-law  if  he  would  let  him  take  his  cab. 

"  But  are  you  going  out?  "  his  wife  asked  him 
with  surprise  and  annoyance. 

"  Yes;  I  am  going  to  take  my  coffee  at  the  Siglo. 
I  haven't  seen  a  single  one  of  my  friends  yet.  I 
shall  be  back  soon." 

Matilde  tried  to  keep  him,  begging  that  he  would 
not  go  that  night,  caressing  his  hands,  with  no  re- 
sult except  to  make  him  cross.  Observing,  how- 
ever, the  bad  effect  this  had  upon  us,  he  changed 
206 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

his  tone  and  embraced  her,  saying  in  endearing 
accents: 

"  Goosie!  Aren't  you  going  to  let  me  go  and  cele- 
brate our  reconciliation  ?  " 

With  this  the  infatuated  wife  was  satisfied  and 
content,  brushed  the  dust  from  his  shoes,  and  went 
with  him  to  the  cab  door. 

We  remained  in  the  dining-room  some  time. 
Emilio  was  the  first  to  start  to  bed,  saying  that  he 
felt  sleepy.  I  thought  that  his  hemorrhage  had 
affected  him  more  than  he  had  acknowledged.  Ma- 
tilde  went  up  to  put  her  children  to  bed.  We  re- 
mained chatting,  Isabelita  and  I  in  one  corner, 
Cristina  and  Castell  in  another,  while  Dona  Am- 
paro  embroidered  by  the  light  of  a  lamp  between. 

This  state  of  things  impressed  me  uncomfort- 
ably. We  seemed  like  two  pairs  engaged  in  court- 
ship, watched  over  by  the  mamma;  and  this  idea,  so 
far  as  it  concerned  Cristina  and  Castell,  could  not 
but  fill  me  with  great  repugnance.  Such  was  my 
faith  in  that  woman  that  I  scarcely  believed  what  I 
saw.  I  was  absent  and  melancholy,  and  with  diffi- 
culty kept  up  the  conversation  with  my  intended. 

My  intended!  The  winds  were  driving  me  upon 
a  coast  where  I  didn't  know  whether  I  was  going  to 
be  shipwrecked  or  find  a  snug  harbor.  I  con- 
fessed to  myself  with  alarm  that  since  my  dreadful 
convictions  about  Cristina,  my  heart  was  less  in- 
clined than  ever  to  admit  another  woman. 
207 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

When  Matilde  came  down  after  getting  her  chil- 
dren to  bed,  in  order  to  get  out  of  this  scarcely  de- 
cent situation,  and  also  to  rid  myself  a  little  of  the 
sadness  that  overpowered  me,  I  proposed  that  we 
take  a  turn  in  the  park.  The  proposition  met  with 
favor,  and  Cristina  was  the  first  to  accept  it,  rising 
from  the  sofa  where  she  had  been  sitting.  But 
Castell  said,  with  his  usual  decision: 

"  I  don't  feel  equal  to  it.  It  is  much  too  damp 
in  the  park  at  this  hour." 

Cristina  turned  and  sat  down  again  beside  him. 

"  We  are  not  so  much  in  fear  of  dying,  are  we, 
Matilde?"  I  said  smiling.  She  and  Isabelita  fol- 
lowed me.  Dona  Amparo  stayed  with  her  daugh- 
ter and  Castell.  We  went  to  the  end  of  the  garden, 
and  from  there  entered  the  open  spaces  of  the  park, 
where  the  balmy  air  did  me  a  great  deal  of  good, 
for  my  brow  had  been  burning  and  my  heart  filled 
with  mournful  presentiments. 


208 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  park,  wrapped  in  the  shades  of  night,  seemed 
like  a  forest;  it  was  more  grand  and  mys- 
terious. The  magnolias,  cypresses,  and  araucarias 
that  half  covered  the  ground  might  be  imagined 
cavaliers  wrapped  in  their  cloaks,  silent  and 
threatening.  The  foliage  did  not  stir;  the  grav- 
elled roads  scarcely  showed  their  whiteness;  the 
footpaths  were  submissive  to  the  darkness.  We 
followed  the  first  of  these  in  a  sort  of  vague  dis- 
quiet, exchanging  few  words.  The  same  emotion 
seemed  to  seal  our  lips  and  oppress  our  hearts. 
When  I  recall  those  first  moments  of  that  night 
and  the  overwhelming  melancholy  that  oppressed 
me,  I  cannot  help  being  a  bit  superstitious. 

But  if  the  darkness  inspired  sadness  and  a  vague 
dread,  the  fragrances,  some  sweet,  some  keen,  that 
filtered  through  the  silent  leaves,  invited  us  to  go 
farther.  We  inhaled,  as  we  went  on  our  way,  a 
thousand  delicious  odors,  from  the  scarcely  per- 
ceptible breath  of  violets  to  the  strong,  dominating 
perfume  of  the  magnolia. 

On  arriving  at  a  certain  place,  a  sort  of  little 
opening  where  the  languorous,  sensuous  perfume 
14  209 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

of  heliotrope  dominated  all  others,  Matilde  made  a 
gesture  of  pleasure.  It  was  her  favorite  fragrance. 
She  would  not  let  us  go  any  farther,  and  made  us 
sit  down  on  a  rustic  bench  so  that  she  could  get  her 
fill  of  it,  as  she  said.  But,  unluckily,  that  per- 
fume, subtle  with  Oriental  love,  immediately  re- 
called to  her  memory  the  poetical  image  of  her 
spouse.  And,  fascinated  by  this  recollection,  she 
entertained  us  for  some  time  by  relating  the  most 
interesting  particulars  of  his  domestic  life — at 
what  hour  this  extraordinary  being  got  up  in  the 
morning,  how  soon  afterwards  a  glass  of  water  with 
lemon  in  it  was  introduced  into  his  precious  or- 
ganism, how  many  slices  of  toast  he  took  with  his 
coffee,  how  many  pipes  he  smoked,  how  he  walked 
about  the  house,  and  even  how,  every  Thursday, 
he  took  magnesia  to  cleanse  and  purify  this  splen- 
did work  of  nature. 

As  if  in  sympathy  with  her  enthusiasm,  and  de- 
siring to  give  testimony  to  the  admiration  that 
such  a  rare  and  beautiful  subject  inspired,  a  gentle 
light  suddenly  shone  over  the  place.  We  turned 
our  eyes  towards  the  sea,  and  saw  the  moon  coming 
up  above  its  quiet  waves.  The  waters  smiled;  in 
the  park  the  silver,  smooth  leaves  of  the  magnolias, 
the  silky- whiteness  of  the  roses,  the  tops  of  the 
cannas  and  laurels  glittered  in  luminous  points  of 
light.  The  darkness  fled  away  into  the  depths  of 
the  thickets,  forming  dense,  impenetrable  masses. 
210 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Soon  the  moonlight  began  penetrating  these  also, 
as  the  moon  rose  higher  in  the  azure  vault,  scatter- 
ing golden  rays. 

Matilde,  who  was  reminded  by  everything  in 
heaven  or  on  earth  of  Sabas,  thought  that  it  was 
now  time  to  get  his  bed  ready  for  him,  and  asked 
us  to  come  into  the  house.  Isabelita  did  not  wish 
to  go  so  soon.  The  night  was  delicious;  she  would 
stay  alone  with  me.  I  did  not  wish  to  say  anything 
about  the  unusualness  of  this,  to  disturb  her 
angelic  innocence.  We  sat  for  some  moments  on 
the  same  bench,  chatting  about  indifferent  matters. 

I  was  not  long,  however,  in  bringing  the  con- 
versation to  our  projected  marriage.  It  interested 
her  immensely.  She  must  have  six  dozen  of 
chemises,  and  four  of  petticoats,  and  three  of  this, 
and  eight  of  that.  I  could  not  help  her  much  in 
all  that.  I  was  absent-minded  or  critical,  and, 
without  knowing  why,  responded  but  poorly  and 
with  little  tact  when  she  consulted  me.  But  my 
attention  was  held  when  the  child  began  to  talk 
about  our  house,  and  the  expenses  it  would  occa- 
sion, and  the  expenditures  we  must  count  upon  to 
furnish  it.  I  was  surprised  at  the  ease  and  capa- 
city wherewith  she  discussed  economic  subjects. 
She  not  only  understood  what  concerned  her 
father's  business,  but  also  exchange,  discounting 
bills,  stocks,  and  so  on.  For  some  time  I  listened 
with  amazement  while  she  discussed  the  probable 
211 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

rise  of  certain  public  stocks  that  her  father  had 
recently  bought,  of  the  transferring  of  others  that 
he  held,  of  the  sudden  fall  of  the  stock  of  the 
tobacco  company,  of  treasury  bonds,  and  a  thou- 
sand other  things  of  whose  existence  I  scarcely 
knew.  This  financial  erudition  did  not  impress 
me  agreeably.  I  understood  the  necessity  of  a 
woman's  having  some  knowledge  of  affairs  in  order 
to  rule  over  her  house  properly;  but  so  much  mer- 
cantile knowledge  shocked  my  temperament,  which 
was  not  at  all  practical,  and,  more  yet,  the  idea  it 
gave  me  of  this  young  creature.  It  seemed  impos- 
sible that  such  old  words  could  issue  from  such 
youthful  lips. 

But  this  was  not  the  only  thing.  Going  on 
from  one  thing  to  another  with  strange  smartness, 
the  child  reached  the  point  of  inquiring  the  amount 
of  my  capital.  I  did  not  try  to  hide  it  from  her. 
At  the  first  hint  I  told  her,  with  complete  clearness, 
one  house,  a  little  land,  a  few  bonds  of  the  company 
in  whose  service  I  had  been — about  sixty  thousand 
dollars  all  reckoned. 

Isabelita  kept  silence  a  moment. 

"  It  isn't  much,"  she  said  at  last,  with  a  certain 
antagonistic  inflection  I  did  not  know  in  her. 

And,  after  another  pause,  she  added,  with  a 
forced  smile: 

"  My  father  thought  that  you  were  much  richer." 

"  But  you  perceive  how  mistaken  he  was,"  I  said, 
212 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

with  a  smile  still  more  forced.  "  We  are  almost 
always  deceived  about  others,  sometimes  thinking 
them  richer  than  they  are,  sometimes  more  noble." 

This  was  all  that  I  said.  I  felt  an  enormous, 
overwhelming  repugnance,  almost  a  nausea.  In 
one  instant  I  had  made  up  my  mind.  I  would  not 
marry  this  self-hawker,  with  her  angelic  profile,  for 
all  the  treasures  of  earth. 

And,  curiously,  as  soon  as  I  made  this  resolution, 
I  felt  at  peace  and  almost  happy.  I  felt  as  if  I  had 
thrown  off  a  great  load.  So,  to  the  surprise  of 
Eetamoso's  daughter,  who  had  remained  thought- 
ful, and  a  little  put  out  by  my  words,  I  began  to 
show  myself  gay  and  never  more  merry. 

But  the  evening  was  advancing,  and  as  I  was 
not  interested  in  conversation,  and  wished  to  be 
alone  and  think  over  the  proper  method  for  break- 
ing off  with  her,  I  proposed  that  we  should  return 
to  the  house.  As  we  got  up  we  heard  a  murmur 
as  of  people  coming;  we  did  not  know  any  other 
way  except  to  sit  down  again.  Castell  and  Cris- 
tina  sailed  into  the  little  open  space.  From  the 
darkness  of  the  place  where  we  were  sitting,  we 
could  see  them  plainly,  for  the  moonlight  com- 
pletely enveloped  them.  I  perceived  at  once  that 
the  conversation  was  a  serious  one.  He  came  along 
smiling,  bending  his  head  insinuatingly  towards 
her,  to  talk  close  to  her  ear.  Cristina  was  pale, 
with  frowning  brow,  her  gaze  hard,  and  fixed  on 
213 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

space.  I  wished  to  get  up  at  once,  but  Isabelita 
held  me  back.  They  passed  before  us  without 
seeing  us.  As  for  him,  we  could  not  hear  him, 
because  he  spoke  very  low;  but  some  of  her  words 
reached  our  ears  distinctly. 

"  There  is  nothing  more  to  be  said  about  that." 
This  sentence,  uttered  with  unusual  energy,  im- 
pressed us  forcibly.  Isabelita  grasped  my  wrist 
with  a  nervous  hand  and  stood  up  to  follow  them. 
And,  truly,  if  curiosity  excited  her,  my  own  was  no 
less;  but  as  I  knew  where  that  would  lead  me, 
and  as  it  seemed  to  me  indecorous  to  surprise  such 
a  secret,  I  tried  to  stop  her.  It  was  useless.  The 
girl  pulled  away  from  me,  and  was  off  after  them. 
I  followed  also,  determining  to  do  somelhing  to 
attract  their  attention  in  some  way.  But  by  this 
time  I  could  no  longer  see  Isabelita.  I  went  for- 
ward in  the  darkness,  which  was  there  very  dense, 
guided  only  by  the  sound  of  their  voices.  In  a 
few  moments  I  realized  that  Castell  and  Cristina 
had  stopped.  I  still  advanced  and  saw  that  they 
were  in  a  glorieta,  or  arbor,  formed  by  four  great 
laurels,  planted  a  little  distance  apart,  whose 
branches  interlaced.  I  approached  with  a  cautious 
step.  Isabelita  was  outside  the  arbor  with  her  ear 
glued  to  the  branches.  When  I  came  up  to  her, 
she  flashed  one  hand  over  my  mouth  and  the  other 
arm  about  my  neck  so  hard  that  she  hurt  me.  I 
was  stupefied  by  such  violence,  whose  reason  I 
214 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

could  not  imagine.  "Weakly,  and  because  I  thought 
it  would  save  Cristina's  modesty,  I  remained  pas- 
sive and  quiet. 

"  Perhaps  you  consider,"  said  Castell,  "  my  pa- 
tience of  several  years,  my  sufferings,  the  silent, 
constant  service  I  have  given  you,  a  mere  caprice. 
Perhaps  you  suppose  that  my  self-love  is  concerned 
in  this  rather  than  a  deep,  irresistible  passion. 
Have  I  not  an  equal  right  to  suppose  that  the  dis- 
dain with  which  you  have  so  many  times  humili- 
ated me  is  the  work  of  pride  and  of  obstinacy  more 
than  of  virtue?" 

"  You  may  suppose  whatever  you  like.  The  way 
you  judge  me " 

"  I  know  you,"  interrupted  Castell.  "  Nobody 
could  be  more  charming.  I  have  never  found  a 
woman  whose  beauty  and  whose  character  appeared 
to  me  more  interesting  and  worthy  of  admiration." 

I  heard  a  slight  sniff  of  disdain  and  then  these 
words: 

"  I  would  prefer  you  to  admire  me  less,  and  let 
me  live  more  at  peace.  But  it  is  not  about  this 
that  I  wish  to  talk  at  present.  I  consented  to  come 
out  with  you,  and  find  myself  here  at  this  improper 
hour,  at  the  risk  of  my  husband's  honor,  which  is 
dearer  to  me  than  life,  because  I  see  a  way  to  solve 
the  problem  of  my  life.  Eich  or  poor,  happy  or 
disgraced,  I  am  resolved  to  live  in  honor  and 
peace." 

215 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Nobody  can  imagine  exactly  what  went  on 
within  me  at  that  moment.  The  horrible  sus- 
picions, almost  certainties,  which  had  smeared  the 
image  of  my  idol,  fled  like  black  spectres.  I  saw 
her  again  in  all  her  purity,  with  an  aureole  of  vir- 
tue that  was  her  glory  and  charm.  A  celestial 
happiness  descended  into  my  heart.  All  my  body 
trembled,  seized  with  an  irresistible  emotion. 

"  You  might  search  everywhere,  you  might  look 
the  wide  world  over,  for  one  whose  happiness  con- 
cerns me  more  than  your  own,  and  you  could  not 
find  one,"  said  Castell. 

"  That  is  very  little  to  say,"  replied  Cristina  with 
a  sarcastic  accent. 

"  Because  you  think  that  nothing  on  earth  moves 
me  or  interests  me,  don't  you?  There  you  are 
wrong.  Before  I  gave  rein  to  this  disgraceful  pas- 
sion, I  lived  in  a  state  of  perpetual  interest  in  all 
things.  Cities,  mountains,  rivers,  the  ocean,  so- 
ciety, art,  passing  affections,  everything  moved  me 
and  attracted  me.  To-day  all  these  things  are 
objects  of  loathing  in  my  eyes.  Barren  boredom, 
a  wearing  contempt,  and  a  causeless  weariness  dog 
me  everywhere,  surrounding  me  like  poisonous 
vapors.  All  the  nerves  of  my  life  are  parched— 
except  one.  When  this  is  stirred,  my  being  trem- 
bles, my  faculties  are  roused,  the  horrible  spell  that 
binds  me  is  broken,  and  daylight  breaks  upon  my 

spirit " 

216 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Better  say  night.  A  bad  conscience  has  need 
of  night." 

"  Conscience  always  stops  on  the  steps  of  the 
temple  of  love.  Did  you  ever  know  anyone  who, 
truly  in  love  with  a  woman,  devoured  by  desire 
for  her,  has  been  hindered  by  conscience?  I  know 
nobody.  If  any  human  being  came  to  me  with  a 
tale  like  that,  I  should  tell  him  frankly  that  he 
lied.  No  mouse  ever  hesitated  before  cheese;  no 
man  before  a  woman,  in  fear  of  his  conscience." 

"  All  the  worse  for  men  if  that  is  so.  But  I 
repeat  it  is  not  about  this  that  I  wish  to  speak  at 
this  moment.  At  the  risk  of  your  carrying  out 
your  half-veiled  threats,  I  am  resolved  to  put  an 
end  to  this  persecution,  and  it  shall  be  ended.  In- 
deed, it  shall  be  ended!  " 

"  Do  you  know  one  thing,  Cristina?  I  have  come 
to  think  that  you  enjoy  being  obstinate  rather  than 
virtuous." 

"Do  you  know  another  thing,  Castell?  I  have 
always  thought  that  there  is  no  love  whatever  in 
your  make-up,  but,  instead,  a  monstrous  vanity 
that  has  need  of  satisfying  itself  at  the  cost  of  the 
honor  and  happiness  of  your  best  friend." 

"  If  there  was  nothing  in  me  but  vanity,  how 
long  would  it  have  taken  it  to  be  revenged  upon 
this  scorn,  these  insults?  I  doubt  if  there  is  a 
woman  in  the  world  who  knows  how  better  to  cut 
the  heart  with  a  gesture,  envenom  the  soul,  and 
217 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

fill  it  with  mad  anger  by  a  glance.  I  am  persuaded 
that  you  cannot  love,  but  only  scorn,  a  man.  If 
you  condescend  to  your  husband,  it  is  because  he 
is  a  poor,  miserable  thing  who  doesn't  dare  hold 
up  his  head  in  your  presence." 

"  Spare  your  insults!  This  is  well!  If  you  had 
always  talked  like  this,  I  should  have  been  saved 
much  pain.  Now  let  us  come  to  the  other  matter. 
It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  from  this  night 
henceforth  you  must  cease  to  mortify  me,  either 
with  words,  looks,  or  hints  of  any  kind.  It  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  that,  if  you  cannot  treat  me  with 
respect  as  the  wife  of  your  friend,  I  should  be  to 
you  as  any  indifferent  person.  And,  further,  I  am 
resolved,  thinking  everything  over,  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  what  has  passed  to  my  husband." 

"  This  is  decreed?  "  he  asked  in  a  mocking  tone. 

"  This  is  decreed! "  she  said  angrily. 

There  was  a  pause. 

"  And  are  you  not  afraid,"  he  asked  at  last, 
speaking  slowly,  "  if  following  upon  the  thou- 
sand tortures  and  humiliations  that  you  have  made 
me  suffer,  and  my  despair  of  ever  being  successful 
with  you,  if  no  compassion  follows,  that  my  love 
might  be  turned  into  hate,  and  that  I  take  means 
that  the  event  which  overthrows  me  should  engulf 
you  and  yours  in  yet  more  frightful  ruin?" 

"No,  I  am  not  afraid,"  she  replied  with  fiery 
pride. 

218 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  You'  do  well.  I  shall  not  take  any  revenge 
whatever." 

"  You  may  do  it  if  you  choose/'  she  interrupted 
him  impetuously.  "  Emilio  is  a  man  who  likes 
luxuries  and  comforts,  I  know,  but  he  cares  very 
much  more  for  his  wife  and  his  honor.  If  the  al- 
ternative were  offered  him,  he  would  give  his  for- 
tune gladly,  if  not  also  his  life.  So  you  may  ruin 
him  as  soon  as  you  please.  If  nothing  is  left  us, 
we  two  can  go  to  work.  But  when  he  finds  himself 
in  somebody's  office  as  a  humble  clerk,  nobody  can 
come  up  to  him  and  call  him  a  complaisant  hus- 
band; and  when  I  go  through  the  streets,  the  people 
in  Valencia  may  lean  out  of  their  balcony  windows 
and  say:  '  This  poor  woman  that  we  see  there  with 
a  basket  on  her  arm  used  to  have  her  carriage  and 
go  dressed  in  her  silks; '  but  they  shall  not  say, 
I  swear  it,  '  She  who  goes  yonder  is  a  prostitute.'  " 

Her  voice  sank  as  she  uttered  the  word.  I  felt 
my  throat  constrict. 

"  Oh,  oh!  this  is  too  much!  "  exclaimed  Castell. 

"  Yes."  She  repeated  the  word  firmly.  "  And 
it  is  all  the  same  whether  one  sells  oneself  for  fear 
or  to  get  money." 

"  Pardon  me,  Cristina,  but  it  seems  to  me  that 
you  are  giving  the  conversation  rather  a  romantic 
turn.  'A  basket  on  her  arm.'  This  is  folly!  I 
call  your  good  judgment  in  against  such  nonsense. 
Here  is  a  man  who  loves  you  with  all  the  strength 
219 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

of  his  soul,  who  to  win  your  love  would  be  capable 
of  making  any  sacrifice,  even  of  his  life.  You 
have  already  taken  away  all  my  hope,  and,  in 
abandoning  the  contest,  at  least  don't  make  me  out 
a  seducer  in  a  novel  of  the  kind  that  stirs  up  the 
wrath  of  dressmakers." 

"  Let  us  stop  talking.  I  cannot  stay  here  any 
longer,"  she  said.  I  could  see  that  she  stood  up. 

"  Yes,  let  us  put  an  end  to  it.  I  give  up  trying 
for  you,  but  not  loving  you.  I  renounce  the  idea 
of  vengeance,  as  I  have  told  you.  But  understand, 
however,  that  this  is  only  a  truce.  My  hopes  that 
you  will  love  me  some  day  will  not  be  banished. 
Separated  from  you,  I  shall  wait  with  patience  for 
a  time  when  our  paths  shall  cross  again  and  I  shall 
offer  you  the  poor  heart  that  you  have  coldly 
trampled  upon." 

"  Very  well.     Good-by." 

Castell  also  stood  up.  More  by  Cristina's  next 
words  than  by  what  I  could  really  see,  I  understood 
that  he  was  holding  her. 

"  Let  me  go!  " 

rt  Before  you  go,  I  want  the  reward  that  my  sacri- 
fice merits.  Let  me  kiss  these  glorious  eyes." 

"  Let  me  go!  "  she  repeated  forcibly  and  fiercely. 

"  I  have  renounced  all,"  he  said  as  energetically, 
but  lowering  his  voice;  "  but  I  swear  to  you  I  will 
not  renounce  this  kiss,  if  it  costs  me  my  life." 

"  Let  me  go,  or  I  shall  scream." 
220 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Scream  as  much  as  you  like.  If  you  want  to 
make  a  scandal  and  perhaps  kill  your  husband — 
his  death  for  one  kiss — I  am  willing." 

At  that  moment  I  entered  the  glorieta  and  put 
my  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"Who  is  it?  Who  goes  there?"  he  exclaimed, 
giving  a  jump  that  separated  him  widely  from 
Cristina. 

"  There  is  no  need  of  being  alarmed.     It's  me." 

"And  who  are  you?"  he  replied,  drawing  a 
revolver  and  pointing  it  at  me. 

"  Keep  your  gun  for  thieves,  or  hold  it  in  readi- 
ness for  some  traitor  who,  abusing  the  confidence 
reposed  in  him,  tries  to  seize  upon  honor  and  hap- 
piness. There  are  no  thieves  or  traitors  here." 

"  If  there  are  no  thieves,  there  are  at  least  per- 
sons about  devoting  themselves  to  overhearing 
private  conversations.  But  for  such  persons  a 
whip  would  be  more  suitable  than  a  revolver,"  he 
returned  in  sarcastic  tones. 

"  Keep  your  sarcasms  likewise  for  a  more  op- 
portune occasion.  Nobody  here  has  tried  to  over- 
hear conversations.  They  are  heard  when  they 
come  to  one's  ears,  and  I  am  sincerely  sorry  that  I 
was  here  at  this  time  to  hear  them.  If  I  had  been 
asleep  in  my  bed,  I  should  have  avoided  the  sorrow 
of  entering  into  the  foul  and  hidden  corners  of 
the  human  conscience." 

"  You  lie!  "  he  cried,  coming  wrathfully  towards 
221 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

me.  "  You  were  spying  upon  us.  How  can  you 
talk  of  foulness  when  you  are  sunk  in  filth  your- 
self? You  have  been  spying  upon  us,  I  repeat  it. 
I  have  seen  you  doing  that  for  some  time  past.  By 
what  right  do  you  follow  our  steps  and  pretend 
to  interfere  in  the  affairs  of  this  family,  you  who 
are  an  outsider?  " 

"  An  outsider  interferes  when  he  sees  anyone  is 
in  need  of  help,"  I  replied  calmly.  "  Moreover,  I 
have  not  the  habit  of  following  any  path,  except 
those  of  the  ocean  currents.  I  have  not  insulted 
you,  and  you  have  no  right  to  insult  me  as  you 
have  been  doing." 

Then  he,  perhaps  taking  my  calmness  for  cow- 
ardice, or  possibly  wishing  to  provoke  a  violent 
scene,  so  as  to  extricate  himself  from  his  difficulty, 
grabbed  me  by  the  lapels  of  my  coat,  shook  me, 
and  bringing  his  threatening  face  up  to  mine, 
yelled: 

"Yes,  senor,  you  have  followed  us,  and  I  will 
not  endure  it.  Do  you  hear?  Yes,  I  have  insulted 
you,  and  why?  Are  you  not  satisfied  with  one  in- 
sult? Then  here  goes  for  another." 

I  caught  his  arm  in  air.  I  caught  hold  of 
the  other  one  also,  and  holding  him  like  a  vise, 
because  here  my  greater  muscular  strength  was  of 
service,  gave  him  several  shakings  and  forced  him 
backwards  into  the  foliage  of  the  arbor. 

A  voice  sounded  in  my  ears: 
222 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Give  up,  Enrique,  give  up!  Don't  risk  your 
life  for  anybody! " 

I  paused,  stupefied.  My  fingers  relaxed  their 
hold  and  released  their  captive.  Turning  my 
head,  I  saw  before  me  the  virginal  figure  of  Isa- 
belita.  Yes,  it  was  she. 

"  Thank  you  very  much,"  I  said  smiling. 

But  I  was  of  no  consequence.  She  did  not  even 
glance  my  way.  With  an  agitated  countenance, 
her  eyes  fixed  upon  Castell,  she  took  his  hand  and 
led  him  out  of  the  glorieta. 


223 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

/"^RISTINA  was  sitting  down,  her  face  hidden  in 
V-f  her  hands.  I  went  up  to  her. 

"  Forgive  me  for  coming  in  here.  I  was  not 
master  of  myself." 

"  You  did  exactly  right;  thank  you,"  she  mur- 
mured, without  changing  her  position. 

We  remained  silent.  Presently,  rising  abruptly, 
she  exclaimed: 

"  Come,  let  us  go  in!  let  us  go  in!  " 

And  emerging  from  the  glorieta,  she  went  hastily 
towards  the  house.  I  followed  her,  and  catching 
up  with  her,  suggested  the  propriety  of  not  pre- 
senting herself  in  such  a  disturbed  state  to  Emilio. 

She  did  not  reply  to  me,  but  she  changed  her 
direction,  and  turned  her  steps  towards  a  narrow 
acacia  path,  where  the  light  of  the  moon  could 
scarcely  penetrate.  I  soon  lost  sight  of  her.  I 
paused  a  moment,  debating  whether  to  go  on  to  the 
house  or  follow  her.  I  decided  upon  the  last,  be- 
cause I  was  afraid  she  might  stumble  anew  upon 
Castell. 

I  followed  the  path,  and  saw  her  as  she  came  out 
in  front  of  the  little  pavilion  that  bore  her  name. 
224 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

I  joined  her  and  advised  her  to  rest  there  a  mo- 
ment. 

The  salon,  profusely  adorned  with  statues  and 
vases,  offered  at  this  hour  a  mysterious  enchant- 
ment. The  moon  shone  through  the  crystalline 
windows.  The  polished  furniture,  the  porcelains, 
the  pictures  hanging  on  the  wall,  reflected  the 
moonlight  mournfully.  The  marble  statues  threw 
huge  dark  shadows  upon  the  walls,  tragic  and 
threatening. 

Cristina  dropped  upon  a  sofa,  and  I  sat  down 
beside  her. 

We  remained  silent  for  some  time. 

"  When,  for  the  first  time,"  I  said  at  last,  "  I  had 
the  pleasure  to  enter  your  house,  I  felt  as  if  I  saw 
a  little  bit  of  heaven  below — joy,  cordiality,  serene 
and  innocent  happiness,  the  tender  love  of  a  wife 
who  inspires  respect,  the  restful  felicity  of  a  hus- 
band free  from  any  of  the  suspicions  that  embitter 
existence — a  yoke  of  love  and  peace;  and  about 
you  plenty,  riches,  all  the  good  gifts  of  life.  Shall 
I  surprise  you  if  I  say  that  among  the  leafage  of 
so  many  joys  I  have  seen  uplifted  the  head  of  the 
serpent?" 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,"  she  replied  pensively,  look- 
ing out  at  the  heavens  through  the  crystal-clear 
windows. 

"  If  I  could  not  see  your  face,  I  should  still  be 
able  to  divine  what  you  are  feeling.  Your  eyes 
15  225 


The  Joy  ot  Captain  Ribot 

are  not  able  to  conceal  what  passes  in  your  soul. 
How  happy  you  would  have  made  me  by  confiding 
to  me  your  troubles!  I  am  a  new  friend,  I  know, 
but  the  affection  that  you  and  Emilio  inspire  in  me 
could  not  be  more  sincere." 

"  Thank  you,  thank  you,  Captain  Ribot,"  she 
murmured,  a  but  it  is  not  possible." 

"  It  is  not  possible,  truly.  How  could  it  be 
when  I  lack  skill  to  persuade  you  of  the  sincerity 
of  my  sentiments?  I  confess  that  there  have  been 
reasons  why  you  should  not  give  me  your  confi- 
dence. I  have  repented  with  all  my  soul,  and  I 
beg  your  forgiveness." 

As  if  these  words  agitated  her,  she  rose,  pushed 
aside  a  hanging  curtain,  went  to  the  piano  that 
stood  open,  ran  her  fingers  over  the  keys,  then 
came  and  sat  down  again. 

"  I  understand  by  what  I  overheard,"  I  said, 
after  a  pause,  "that  Castell  has  some  hold  over 
you — that  you  are  in  his  debt." 

"  Our  entire  fortune  is  in  his  hands." 

"  What! " 

"  Emilio  has  been  to  him  for  money  to  use  in 
his  business,  which  was  ruined." 

"  And  this  was  given  in  the  hope  of  obliging  you 
to  accept  his  devotion?  " 

"  It  is  possible.  Castell  is  more  of  a  business 
man  than  a  lover.  No  matter  what  he  pretends, 
buying  and  selling  is  his  business.  He  has  always 
226 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

had  the  idea  of  getting  absolute  control  of  the 
steamboat  line." 

"  I  suppose  that  after  what  has  been  overheard, 
he  will  desist  for  a  little  in  trying  to  get  possession 
of  it." 

"  I  don't  know/' 

She  sat  thoughtful  for  a  few  moments.  Then,  as 
if  she  were  talking  to  herself,  she  said  in  a  dull  voice: 

"  The  day  that  Emilio  and  I  were  married  he  was 
at  my  house  from  the  hour  of  the  ceremony  until 
I  went  to  change  my  dress.  We  were  going  to 
Madrid  to  spend  a  few  days.  When  I  came  down, 
I  stumbled  upon  him  waiting  for  me  on  the  stairs. 
He  made  some  gallant  speeches  to  me  at  that  time, 
and  begged  a  spray  of  my  orange  flowers,  which 
he  put  next  his  heart.  I  gave  it  to  him  against 
my  will,  from  bashfulness,  from  timidity.  He  was 
repulsive  to  me  from  the  first  moment.  Later, 
when  we  were  at  the  station,  and  he  came  to  give 
me  his  hand  for  good-by,  he  said,  almost  in  my 
ear,  '  If  some  day  it  chances  that  you  get  tired  of 
him,  remember  that  he  has  friends  who  admire 
you  as  much  or  more  than  he  does.'  " 

"What  insolence!" 

"  I  did  not  like  to  say  anything  to  my  husband 
then;  I  have  not  wished  to  since.  The  friendship 
that  united  them  was  strong,  and  I  hesitated  to 
break  it.  How  many  times  since  then  I  have  asked 
myself  if  I  did  right  or  wrong! " 
227 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"And  before  that  he  had  not  addressed  you 
especially?  " 

"  Yes,  and  no.  Once  we  were  at  Denia.  Castell 
was  there,  and  I  danced  with  him  at  a  ball  at  the 
house  of  some  friends;  it  was  several  months  before 
I  knew  Emilio.  That  evening  he  made  a  little  love 
to  me  and  almost  declared  himself.  I  took  that 
for  what  it  was,  the  diversion  of  a  traveller  who 
does  everything  he  can  think  of  to  keep  from  being 
bored.  And,  indeed,  he  left  Denia,  and  Spain, 
and  spent  nearly  two  years  in  travelling.  When 
he  came  back,  I  was  going  to  be  married  to  Emilio. 
It  was  only  a  fortnight  before  the  wedding." 

"  Providence  has  been  cruel  placing  such  a  man 
in  your  pathway,  and  giving  him  power  to  cause 
you  so  much  trouble." 

She  did  not  answer.  She  remained  thoughtful 
for  a  while;  at  last,  looking  at  me  with  her  great 
eyes  full  of  interest,  said: 

"  But  you  are  so  very,  very  good,  Ribot.  Don't 
let  us  talk  any  more  about  my  troubles,  but  think 
of  those  that  you  have  to  bear." 

"  Bah!  'tis  quite  the  contrary  with  me.  I  should 
give  thanks  to  God  that  I  have  been  undeceived 
in  time.  Somehow  I  have  always  suspected  that 
the  girl  was  in  love  with  Castell,  although  Emilio 
and  Sabas  were  RO  certain  of  something  else.  And, 
to  be  frank,  I  also  love  someone  else  better." 

"  Then  why  don't  you  marry  her?  " 
228 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"Because,  because — I  don't  know  why;  that  is 
to  say,  if  I  knew  and  if  you  also  knew — but  there 
are  things  that  I  do  not  care  to  confess  to  myself." 

These  words  made  her  look  troubled.  I  was 
repentant  at  once,  as  the  rays  of  the  moon  let  me 
see  on  her  forehead  that  frown  dreaded  of  yore. 

"  ISo,  Cristina,  no! "  I  hastened  to  say  vehe- 
mently, "  I  beg  you  not  to  think  that  which  I  read 
in  your  eyes.  I  have  been  through  bitter  struggles, 
despairing  conflicts  with  myself.  I  have  stumbled, 
and  fallen  too,  but  I  have  risen;  and — I  can  say  it 
without  pride — never  shall  treachery  find  shelter  in 
my  breast.  I  have  not  CastelFs  brilliant  qualities. 
I  am  far  from  possessing  the  advantages  that  make 
that  man  admired  and  sought  after;  but  if  I  pos- 
sessed them  all,  I  swear  I  would  not  use  them  to 
stab  a  friend  in  the  back.  Far  more  than  the  satis- 
factions of  love,  more  than  all  the  enjoyments  of 
earth — and  even  those  of  heaven  if  they  were  of- 
fered me — I  hold  the  peace  of  my  own  conscience." 

The  warmth  of  my  tones  and  the  sincerity  of  ex- 
pression with  which  I  uttered  these  words  made  her 
lift  her  head  and  look  at  me  in  a  slight  amaze. 
Her  brow  grew  calm,  and  a  sweet  smile  lingered 
upon  her  lips. 

"  Yes,  I  have  already  come  to  see  that  you 
are  more  original  in  that  way  than  could  at  first 
have  been  imagined.  I  think  it  much  better  this 
way." 

229 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

And  saying  so,  she  graciously  held  out  her  hand 
to  me,  and  I  pressed  it  with  as  much  respect  as  emo- 
tion. At  this  moment  a  shadow  fell  across  us, 
then  one  appeared  before  us,  saying: 

"  Good-evening." 

Both  Cristina  and  I  were  painfully  startled. 

"You  here,  Emilio?  I  thought  you  had  gone 
to  bed,"  she  said,  instantly  controlling  herself. 

"  No,  no;  I  didn't  go  to  bed.  I  felt  the  heat, 
like  the  rest  of  you,  and  came  out  for  a  turn  in  the 
garden.  I  heard  the  sound  of  conversation,  so  I 
came  in." 

In  spite  of  the  natural  voice  he  made  a  point  of 
using,  there  was  something  in  his  manner  and  a 
strangeness  in  his  tones  that  disquieted  us  im- 
mensely. 

"  It  is  a  very  beautiful  night,"  he  went  on,  begin- 
ning to  walk  up  and  down  the  place  with  his  hands 
in  his  pockets.  "  The  month  of  September  has 
not  fallen  behind  August.  Even  in  the  mornings 
it  is  scarcely  cool  yet.  I  found  I  had  no  desire  to 
go  to  bed." 

I  replied  to  him  in  words  as  unimportant  as  his 
own.  He  gave  no  sign  of  having  heard  me.  He 
went  on  walking  up  and  down  in  an  absorbed  man- 
ner, and  at  last  he  went  over  to  the  balcony  and 
stood  motionless  looking  out  through  the  glass. 
Then  he  opened  one  of  the  windows  and  stepped 
outside  to  get  more  of  the  cool  night  air. 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Cristina  gazed  at  him  without  moving  an  eyelash. 
In  her  eyes  a  great  anguish  was  visible.  She 
seemed  alarmed.  Thus  several  minutes  passed  in 
silence.  At  last,  as  if  unable  longer  to  endure  this 
tension,  she  rose  impetuously,  went  to  her  husband 
and  put  her  hand  on  his  shoulder,  saying: 

"  Come,  let  us  go  to  the  house." 

"  As  you  like,"  he  replied  dryly. 

We  went  out  of  the  pavilion  and  along  the  avenue 
of  acacias  that  led  to  it.  I  tried  to  walk  with  Marti 
and  to  talk  with  him.  I  saw  that  he  shrank  from 
my  company,  and  answered  with  few  words.  Be- 
fore reaching  the  house  he  took  his  wife's  arm  and 
went  on  ahead,  leaving  me  behind.  This  mute 
rebuff  made  my  heart  ache.  I  followed  with  a 
sadness  that  presently  gave  way  to  decided  impa- 
tience, thinking  with  what  injustice  I  was  treated. 
As  we  went  along  in  this  fashion,  there  came  into 
my  mind  the  strong  resolution  to  enter  into  a  clear 
and  definite  explanation  with  him,  and  disclose  to 
him  all  that  had  passed. 

We  arrived  at  the  door  of  the  house  and  paused 
under  the  glass  portico.  Through  the  opened  win- 
dow of  the  dining-room  I  could  see  Isabelita,  Cas- 
tell,  and  Dona  Amparo. 

"  Come/'  I  said,  with  affected  indifference,  "  you 
two  are  going  to  bed  and  I  into  the  city." 

"  Won't  you  wait  until  we  can  order  the  car- 
riage?" asked  Cristina  timidly. 
231 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  No;  I  have  an  appetite  for  a  stroll  in  the  light 
of  the  moon.  Hasta  manana.  Good-night." 

I  offered  Emilio  my  hand. 

"  No/'  he  said,  with  an  unusual  gravity.  "  I  am 
going  with  you  as  far  as  the  farthest  gateway.  I, 
too,  feel  like  a  stroll." 

I  gave  my  hand  to  Cristina.  For  the  first  time 
in  her  life  she  pressed  it  with  singular  force,  at  the 
same  time  giving  me  an  anxious  look  of  supplica- 
tion. I,  moved  to  the  depths  of  the  soul,  answered 
her  eyes  with  my  own,  promising  her  in  that  way 
that  she  might  depend  upon  me. 

We  walked  away  slowly,  taking  the  path  that 
led  to  the  entrance  gate.  Marti  walked  with  his 
hat  in  his  hand,  and  preserved  an  obstinate  silence. 
I  waited  for  him  to  break  it  before  we  parted, 
promising  myself  to  be  faithful  to  the  silent 
promise  that  I  had  made  to  Cristina.  So  it  was  he 
who,  as  we  approached  the  boundary  wall,  paused 
and,  without  looking  at  me,  spoke: 

"  Married  men,  Ribot,  often  have  an  exaggerated 
susceptibility.  Not  only  do  their  own  affections 
torment  them,  but  the  fear  of  becoming  objects  of 
ridicule  sometimes  obliges  them  to  be  suspicious 
even  when  they  are  by  nature  confiding.  The 
friends  of  such  men  do  well  to  avoid  awakening 
this  susceptibility,  conducting  themselves  on  all 
occasions  with  care  and  delicacy.  By  this  means 
friendship  is  yoked  to  gratitude." 
282 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  You  are  right,"  I  replied.  "  So  far  in  my  life 
I  have  managed  to  fulfil  this  obligation  towards  all 
men  with  whom  I  have  had  to  do,  not  merely 
towards  friends,  as  you  say,  but  towards  men  of 
my  general  acquaintance.  An  unfortunate  accident 
placed  me  in  a  situation  that  wounds  your  amor 
proprio,  if  not  your  honor.  Understand,  however, 
that  Cristina " 

"  We  will  not  talk  of  Cristina,"  he  interrupted, 
gazing  firmly  into  my  eyes.  "  Every  night  of  the 
year  before  going  to  sleep  I  give  thanks  to  God  for 
having  united  me  to  her.  To-night  will  be  the 
same  as  the  others." 

"  We  will  talk  about  me,  then.  An  unfortunate 
accident,  I  repeat,  placed  me  in  a  situation  to  hurt 
the  susceptibility  that  has  been  mentioned.  I  de- 
plore this  with  all  my  soul,  although  I  do  not  find 
myself  to  blame.  In  any  case,  it  would  have  been 
an  indiscretion.  However,  these  matters  are  of 
such  peculiar  delicacy  that  a  recent  friendship  can- 
not risk  the  consequences  of  the  slightest  annoy- 
ance. If  you  feel  any  such  annoyance,  I  am  re- 
solved to  take  myself  away  from  here,  and  never 
again  set  foot  in  your  house." 

There  was  no  response.  We  pursued  in  silence 
the  remaining  distance  to  the  gate.  When  we 
reached  it,  he  paused  and,  without  looking  at  me, 
said  in  a  trembling  voice: 

"  Although  I  feel  it  very  much,  I  cannot  do  less 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

than  accept  your  resolution.  Perhaps  I  am  mak- 
ing myself  ridiculous  in  your  eyes  and  in  those  of 
anyone  who  might  know  of  what  has  passed;  but 
what  would  you  ?  I  prefer  to  be  considered  absurd 
rather  than  see  disturbed  in  the  slightest  degree 
the  tranquillity  that  until  now  I  have  enjoyed." 

"  You  are  right/'  I  said.  "  In  your  place  I 
should  do  the  same.  To-morrow  morning  early  I 
shall  leave  Valencia,  and  it  may  be  that  we  shall 
never  meet  again.  I  desire  you  to  know,  none  the 
less,  that  this  is  one  of  the  profoundest  griefs  of 
my  whole  life.  I  appreciate  your  friendship  more 
than  you  realize.  I  am  grateful  for  your  affection- 
ate hospitality,  and  I  shall  never  console  myself 
for  having  unintentionally  caused  you  the  least 
trouble.  If  some  day  you  have  need  of  me,  all 
that  I  have  is  yours." 

"  Thank  you,  thank  you,  Ribot,"  he  murmured, 
moved. 

He  put  one  hand  on  the  latch  of  the  gate,  and 
with  the  other  lifted  his  hat.  I  did  not  care  to  let 
him  see  that  I  knew  he  did  this  to  avoid  taking 
my  hand,  so,  without  extending  my  own,  I  went  out 
into  the  road. 

"  Adios,  Marti,"  I  said,  turning  my  head,  "  God 
keep  you  always  as  happy  as  you  have  been  until 
now." 

"  Adios,  Ribot.     Muchas  gracias" 


284 


CHAPTER   XV. 

THE  gate  closed.  Through  its  bars  I  could  see 
him  going  farther  and  farther  away,  his  un- 
covered head  bowed,  until  he  was  lost  to  sight 
among  the  trees.  I  stood  alone  in  the  middle  of 
the  road.  A  profound  depression  filled  me;  it  was 
as  if  I  had  lost  something  that  had  been  the  chief 
interest  of  my  existence. 

With  slow  step  I  began  my  departure  from  that 
pleasant  place,  believing  that  I  should  never  re- 
turn to  tread  this  path  again.  Indeed,  these  latest 
events  had  followed  one  another  so  hastily  and  pre- 
cipitately that  I  could  scarcely  realize  them.  One 
moment  I  had  been  in  that  house  as  the  accepted 
friend  about  to  become  a  member  of  the  family. 
The  next,  I  left  it  as  a  stranger  whose  name  would 
soon  be  forgotten.  Yet  in  the  midst  of  my  sorrow, 
in  the  mournful  night  that  had  fallen  upon  my 
heart,  shone  one  consoling  star;  it  was  Cristina's 
look  of  supplication.  In  that  house,  perhaps,  my 
name  would  now  no  more  be  spoken,  but  she  would 
never  forget  it.  This  thought  gave  me  inexpres- 
sible consolation.  I  went  on  my  way  with  a  firmer 
235 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

step,  and  when  I  came  to  the  last  corner  of  the 
walls  surrounding  the  estate,  I  stopped  beside  it. 
I  looked  at  it  sorrowfully  for  a  little,  then,  going  up 
to  the  stone,  I  kissed  it  many  times.  Then  I  went 
on  again,  blushing  as  if  someone  had  seen  me. 

The  moon  on  high  bathed  the  country  in  lumi- 
nous purity,  transforming  it  into  a  sleeping  lake. 
The  plain  stretched  before  me,  bordered  by  the 
mountains  whose  crests  seemed  floating  in  the  dis- 
tance in  a  white  mist.  Here  and  there  the  little 
groves  of  orange-trees  and  laurel  stood  out  in  the 
fleecy  whiteness,  or  great  cypresses  rose  solitary  and 
still,  casting  their  shadows  across  the  road.  Be- 
yond smiled  the  sea,  reflecting  the  light  of  the 
moon. 

The  sweetness  of  that  night  penetrated  my  heart, 
refreshing  it.  The  fields,  still  abounding  in 
flowers  and  fragrant  with  the  odors  of  ripe  fruits, 
soothed  my  senses  and  calmed  the  fever  of  my 
thoughts.  I  went  on  with  a  lighter  step.  Valen- 
cia already  slumbered  lightly  upon  her  couch  of 
flowers.  Her  street  lights  shone  afar  like  stars  of 
earth.  Those  of  the  heavens  formed  a  rich  canopy 
above,  protecting  that  fortunate  city. 

When  at  some  distance  from  the  country  house, 
I  felt  the  need  of  resting  a  little  while.  I  did  not 
care  yet  to  be  among  people.  It  was  necessary 
to  get  my  thoughts  together  and  contrive  some 
plan  of  life  in  place  of  that  that  had,  in  one  mo- 
236 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

ment,  been  upset.  I  sat  down  on  a  stone,  drew  out 
a  cigar,  lighted  it,  and  calmly  began  smoking.  I 
had  not  been  sitting  there  long  when  I  heard  the 
sound  of  an  approaching  carriage.  At  first  I  did 
not  know  whether  it  was  coming  from  Valencia  or 
Cabanal.  When  I  was  convinced  it  was  from 
the  latter,  I  felt  strangely  uneasy,  and  thought 
of  concealing  myself;  but  instantly  changing  my 
mind,  I  determined  to  remain  where  I  was.  Soon 
I  descried  the  horses;  they  drew  near.  It  was  Cas- 
tell's  cab,  as  I  feared. 

When  he  was  quite  close  I  planted  myself  in  the 
middle  of  the  road  and  called  to  the  coachman  in 
an  imperative  voice: 

"Stop!" 

He  made  a  gesture  of  surprise,  but  stopped  the 
horses  almost  as  they  came  upon  me.  As  he  was 
pulling  them  in  with  the  reins,  obliging  them  to 
stop  in  time,  the  man  recognized  me  and  said: 

"  Good  evening,  Don  Julian." 

Castell  had  been  leaning  half  out  of  the  window. 
When  I  approached  him  he  looked  at  me  in  surprise, 
then  springing  up  with  a  fiery  gesture  he  reached 
for  his  pocket,  crying: 

"If  this  is  an  attack,  take  care! " 

"  No,  it  is  not  an  attack,"  I  said,  lifting  my  hand 
in  sign  of  peace;  "  I  wish  to  speak  with  you." 

"  Send  me  your  seconds  and  I  will  speak  with 
them,"  he  said  haughtily. 
237 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Before  doing  that,  it  is  necessary  to  speak  with 
you  a  moment,"  I  replied. 

He  stared  at  me  a  little  while  as  if  trying  to  dis: 
cern  my  intentions.  Convinced,  doubtless,  that 
they  were  not  bellicose,  he  opened  the  cab  door  and 
said  coolly: 

"  Get  in! " 

I  sat  down  facing  him.  The  carriage  went 
onward.  * 

"  I  desire  to  know,"  I  said,  at  the  end  of  a  mo- 
ment, "  if  it  was  you  who  let  Marti  know  that  he 
would  find  Cristina  and  me  alone  in  the  pavilion?  " 

He  opened  his  eyes  wide  in  no  feigned  surprise, 
and  answered  in  an  ungracious  manner: 

"  I  don't  understand  what  you  are  saying  to  me." 

I  perceived  that  this  was  true,  and  I  went  on, 
modifying  my  tone. 

"  After  you  and  I  separated,  she  and  I  went  along 
the  acacia  path  to  the  pavilion,  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  Cristina  time  to  recover  herself  before  going 
to  the  house.  She  found  herself  very  much  upset 
and  did  not  care  to  present  herself  to  her  husband 
in  that  state.  After  we  had  been  there  a  little 
while,  Marti  came  unexpectedly.  He  was  angry, 
naturally;  sought  an  explanation  with  me,  and  in 
consequence  I  have  left  his  house  never  to  return." 

"  I  knew  nothing  of  it.  Although  I  feel  no 
obligation  to  give  you  any  satisfaction  whatever, 
since  there  is  a  question  between  us  to  be  settled 
238 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

on  other  grounds,  I  will  yet  tell  you  that  I  did  not 
speak  one  word  to  Marti  about  the  affair.  It  rests 
with  you  to  believe  me,  or  not.  But  it  certainly 
surprises  me  that  after  having  had  an  explanation 
with  him,  you  should  leave  his  house  and  now  be 
talking  with  me  as  cordially  as  ever." 

"It  is  very  simple.  I  did  not  speak  one  word 
about  what  I  had  just  heard." 

"  You  have  allowed  him  to  suspect  you  of 
treachery?  "  he  asked  in  the  greatest  surprise. 

"  Yes,  senor." 

"  And  why  have  you  done  so?  " 

"  For  my  pleasure." 

He  cast  a  hostile,  suspicious  glance  at  me, 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  remained  silent.  I 
broke  the  silence  after  a  moment. 

"  The  pleasures  of  men,  Castell,  are  as  varied  as 
their  physiognomies.  However  much  you  may 
have  thought  yourself  in  love  with  Cristina,  I  be- 
lieve I  was  more.  I  adored  her  with  all  my  soul, 
with  all  the  powers  of  my  heart.  But  to  win  her 
by  treacherous  means  would,  far  from  causing  me 
joy,  be  the  worst  misfortune  that  could  befall  me 
upon  earth.  I  should  never  sleep  quietly  again. 
I  have  made  a  cruel  sacrifice,  but  I  have  made  it 
for  love  of  her,  for  the  peace  of  my  conscience. 
The  tears  that  you  see  in  my  eyes  now  refresh  my 
soul;  they  do  not  scorch  it.  I  am  going  away, 
going  away  for  good.  You  will  remain,  and  per- 
239 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

haps  time  may  bring  it  about  that  you  can  gain 
what  I  have  so  much  desired;  but  wandering  upon 
the  sea,  alone  on  the  deck  of  my  ship,  I  shall  be 
happier  than  you.  The  stars  of  heaven  shining 
above  me  will  say:  '  Be  joyful,  for  you  have  done 
right.'  The  wind  whistling  through  the  rigging, 
the  waves  breaking  against  the  sides  will  say:  *  Joy- 
ful, joyful! '" 

The  light  of  the  moon  illuminated  his  face.  I 
saw  a  smile  gradually  spread  over  it. 

"  These  same  waves  that  will  say  such  agreeable 
things  to  you  will  think  nothing  of  swallowing  you 
like  a  fly  some  day.  The  winds  will  help  them 
finish  the  task,  and  the  stars  of  heaven  will  be  pres- 
ent with  all  possible  serenity.  You  are  living  in  a 
profound  error,  Ribot.  There  is  no  other  happi- 
ness upon  earth  except  in  possessing  what  one 
desires." 

"  Although  to  get  it  you  stab  a  friend  to  death 
from  behind?" 

There  was  a  moment  of  suspense,  but  he  pres- 
ently said  firmly: 

"  Although  to  get  it  'twere  necessary  to  walk 
over  men." 

"  There  is  neither  good  nor  evil,  then?  " 

"  In  life  the  good  of  some  is  the  evil  of  others, 

and  it  will  be  so  to  the  end  of  time.     You  may  have 

seen  some  time  a  nest  of  swallows?     The  little  ones 

wait  anxiously  for  the  arrival  of  the  mother;  she 

240 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

comes  gently,  opens  her  bill  and,  with  loving  care, 
feeds  them  one  by  one.  How  interesting!  How 
full  of  tenderness  such  a  sight!  But  the  insects 
that  have  been  destroyed  and  fall  into  the  beak 
of  the  swallow  to  serve  her  in  feeding  her  children 
— does  the  spectacle  seem  so  tender  and  interesting 
to  them?  On  the  other  hand,  you  see  a  man  go 
stealthily  up  to  another,  knock  him  down  with  a 
blow,  take  the  money  out  of  his  purse  and  carry 
it  away  to  his  house  to  buy  bread  for  his  children. 
How  horrible!  You  shudder  and  hurry  quickly 
away  from  such  a  scene.  But  why?  If  you  were 
an  insect  you  would  go  along  there  buzzing  joy- 
ously/' 

"  But  we  are  given  a  conscience." 

"  Conscience  does  not  prevent  us  from  being 
fatally  fettered.  You  find  yourself  in  love  with 
Cristina,  the  same  as  I  am;  both  of  us  desire  her. 
You  are  held  back  by  fear  of  remorse,  but  I  pursue 
my  undertaking  with  no  fears  whatever.  We  both 
follow  an  instinct.  Mine  is  more  sane,  because 
it  tends  to  augment  my  vitality,  while  yours  tends 
to  diminish  your  strength.  You  need  not  laugh 
nor  be  so  much  surprised.  Eemorse  in  a  world 
where  necessity  rules  is  absurd.  Think  you  that 
the  heroes  of  Homer  and  Aeschylus  hesitated  at 
fratricide  or  incest?  Yet  they  were,  nevertheless, 
the  most  noble  examples  of  human  kind." 

"  I  am  far  from  opposing  you  in  augmenting 
1C  241 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

your  vitality,"  I  replied,  ironically;  "  but  would  it 
not  be  better  that  you  seek  a  wife  of  your  own, 
rather  than  another's." 

"  Another's,  another's! "  he  repeated  under  his 
breath.  "  That  is  conventional,  like  all  the  rest." 

He  remained  thoughtful  for  several  minutes, 
looking  out  at  the  landscape  through  the  window. 
I  watched  him  with  a  mixture  of  curiosity  and 
repugnance.  Those  blue  eyes  of  his  with  their 
steely  reflections  inspired  me  for  the  first  time 
with  a  sudden  dread. 

"The  virtuous?  Draupadi,"  he  began  saying 
slowly,  without  taking  his  eyes  from  the  scene, 
"  one  of  the  most  interesting  heroines  of  antiquity 
had  five  husbands,  all  brothers.  Those  heroes  en- 
joyed her  love  in  common,  without  dishonor  or 
remorse.  If  we  lived  in  like  simplicity,  to  aspire 
to  Cristina  would  be  moral  and  plausible;  we  should 
be  offering  a  woman  two  new  protectors.  Why 
does  it  cause  you  so  much  horror  to  share  a  woman 
with  a  friend?  The  world  began  in  that  way  and 
will  end  in  that  way." 

"  It  may  end  as  it  chooses!  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Now 
and  evermore,  it  will  be  a  sin  voluntarily  to  cause 
pain." 

"  Don't  be  a  child,  Ribot,"  he  replied  with  his 
irritating  self-sufficiency.  "  There  is  only  one  un- 
deniable truth  in  this  world,  and  that  is  the  com- 
mon impulse  of  plants  and  animals,  insects  and 
242 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

man.  In  the  serene  region  where  life  abides,  ever- 
lasting life,  sorrow  and  death,  signify  nothing.  The 
one  supreme  end  of  the  universe  is  to  augment  the 
intensity  of  this  life/' 

I  did  not  respond.  I  remained  thoughtful  and 
silent  in  my  turn  for  some  time,  gazing  out  of  the 
other  window  at  the  road.  At  last  I  saw  the  first 
houses  of  the  suburbs. 

"Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  ask  the  man 
to  stop?  "  I  said;  "  I  wish  to  get  out  here;  and  to- 
morrow I  leave  Valencia  without  fighting  with 
you.  Attribute  this  to  cowardice  if  you  like.  It 
will  be  a  new  sacrifice  for  me  to  make  on  the  altar 
of  my  love,  and  to  the  friendship  that  I  owe  Marti. 
I  do  not  aspire  to  be  a  Homeric  hero  like  you,  nor 
dream  of  leaping  triumphantly  upon  the  bodies 
of  my  enemies.  Will  you  stop  ?  " 

He  gave  me  a  big,  contemptuous  stare,  and 
pulled  the  cord,  saying  coldly: 

"  I  don't  know  whether  or  not  you  are  a  coward; 
but  I  can  tell  you  on  the  spot  that  you  are  one 
of  those  people  who  are  self-deceived,  and  live  in 
delusions  concerning  themselves  and  the  world 
about  them." 

The  cab  stopped.  I  opened  the  door  and  stepped 
out  upon  the  ground. 

"  Adios,  Castell,"  I  said,  without  giving  him  my 
hand.  "You  may  seek  that  happy  region  which 
I  do  not  desire  to  know.  I  will  remain  in  this 
248 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

other  that  is  more  sorrowful  yet  more  honor- 
able." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  without  answering, 
and  turned  his  eyes  away  from  me  disdainfully,  as 
he  again  pulled  the  cord.  Then  he  leaned  back 
comfortably.  The  carriage  departed,  and  I  began 
walking  slowly  towards  my  hotel.  I  followed  the 
white  highroad  whereon  scattering  houses  now  cast 
shadows,  until  I  reached  the  city's  streets,  and  lost 
myself  in  their  labyrinth. 

In  the  Calle  del  Mar  I  found  myself  in  front 
of  the  house  of  Cristina.  On  her  bedroom  balcony 
grew  a  rose-mallow.  I  made  sure  that  nobody  saw 
me,  then  I  climbed  up  to  it  and  picked  some  of  its 
leaves.  I  went  to  the  hotel,  and  up  to  my  room, 
and  was  soon  sleeping  sweetly  with  those  leaves 
held  fast  in  my  hand. 


244 


CHAPTEK   XVI. 

ONCE  more  the  sea!  Port  traffic,  the  noise  of 
loading  and  unloading,  troublesome  business 
in  the  consignees'  office — afterwards  lonely,  tran- 
quil hours  lulled  by  the  songs  of  the  sailors  and 
the  murmur  of  waters  against  the  keel!  I  did 
not  let  my  dream  of  love  weigh  down  my  soul.  At 
the  end  of  several  months,  it  remained  a  tender  and 
poetic  impression  which  gave  reality  to  my  exis- 
tence. Yet  when  one  night  we  passed  Valencia, 
and  I  saw  the  lights  of  Cabanal  shining  in  the  dis- 
tance, I  was  surprised  to  find  myself  singing  on  the 
bridge  in  a  low  voice  the  farewell  from  "  Gru- 
mete  " — 

"  Si  en  la  nocha  callada 
Sientes  el  viento  I " 

And,  without  being  able  to  help  it,  my  eyes  filled 
with  tears  like  a  sentimental  female.  But  that 
soon  passed,  and  I  soon  recovered  the  joyous  mood 
which  seldom,  thank  heaven,  forsook  me. 

I  heard  from  a  friend  in  Barcelona  that  Castell 
had  married  Isabelita  Eetamoso.     Much  good  may 
it  do!      I  learned  from  the  same  man  that  the 
245 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

steamship  company,  Castell  and  Marti,  had  gone  to 
pieces,  and  that  both  partners  were  involved  in  a 
ruinous  lawsuit.  On  hearing  that,  I  could  not  re- 
frain from  exclaiming  with  exquisite  delight: 
"  Ruined,  it  may  be!  but  dishonored,  no!  " 
My  friend  stared  at  me  surprised,  and  it  cost  me 
not  a  little  to  evade  an  explanation.  Did  not  some 
self-satisfaction  enter  into  my  pleasure?  I  am 
almost  sure  it  did.  I  do  not  give  myself  out  for 
a  saint,  and  not  even  the  saints  are  able  to  get  rid 
of  self-love  entirely.  At  last,  on  my  return  from 
Hamburg,  after  one  of  my  voyages,  I  found  in 
Barcelona  a  letter  that  had  been  waiting  for  me 
several  days.  It  was  from  Marti,  although  written 
in  another  hand.  He  told  me  that  he  was  very  ill, 
and  in  trouble,  and  invited  me  in  extremely  affec- 
tionate terms  to  come  and  make  him  a  visit  if  it 
were  possible.  He  did  not  explain  what  his 
troubles  were,  nor  allude  in  the  least  to  the  mis- 
understanding that  had  been  between  us,  perhaps 
not  to  let  his  amanuensis  into  our  secrets;  but  the 
whole  letter  breathed  of  his  hearty  desire  to  be  all 
right  with  me  again,  and  to  make  me  forget  my 
unhappy  departure  from  his  house. 

I  took  the  train  immediately  for  Valencia.  I 
entered  the  city  at  nightfall,  one  year  and  three 
months  after  leaving  it.  I  went  to  the  hotel  where 
I  had  then  stayed.  The  hotel-keeper  received  me 
with  cordial  demonstration,  and  told  me,  without 
246 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

my  asking,  many  details  of  the  lawsuit  between  Cas- 
tell  and  Marti.  Marti  was  ruined.  He  had  lost 
his  directing  share  in  the  steamboat  line,  in  which 
his  partner  still  remained.  Following  that,  to  re- 
imburse himself  for  capital  loaned,  Castell  trans- 
ferred Marti's  credit.  The  creditors  sold  all  his 
property  at  auction,  including  that  at  Cabanal  and 
the  house  in  the  Calle  del  Mar. 

"If,  in  spite  of  all  this,"  said  my  host,  "Don 
Emilio  enjoyed  good  health,  he  could  easily  get  up 
again,  for  he  is  young  and  he  has  a  great  head  for 
business.  But  the  poor  man  is  very  ill,  very  ill. 
I  have  not  seen  him  for  some  time,  but  by  all  that 
I  hear  it  is  his  last  sickness." 

These  words  made  me  very  sad.  It  was  dinner- 
time; but,  although  I  went  and  sat  down  at  table, 
I  could  scarcely  take  a  morsel  of  food.  I  went 
out  afterwards,  intending  to  go  to  the  house  of 
Marti — he  was  living  now  in  an  apartment  in  the 
Calle  de  Caballeros.  Before  arriving  I  turned 
about,  fearing  to  disturb  him  at  that  hour,  or  cause 
him  any  emotion  that  might  hinder  him  from  rest- 
ing well.  I  directed  my  steps  to  the  residence  of 
his  brother-in-law,  Sabas,  that  he  might  prepare 
Marti,  or  at  least  advise  me  when  it  would  be  best 
for  me  to  go  to  see  him.  Sabas's  plump  wife,  as 
lively,  busy,  and  sweet  as  ever,  received  me  with 
her  usual  affability.  Her  idolized  husband  had 
gone  out. 

247 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  He  is  at  Emilio's  house?  "  I  said,  as  the  natural 
thing. 

"  No,  I  believe — "  she  hesitated.  "  You  had 
better  go  to  the  theatre.  Maybe  he  is  there.  As 
the  doctor  found  Emilio  better  to-day,  he  said  that 
he  would  go  and  celebrate." 

She  blushed  as  she  uttered  these  words.  I 
showed  no  surprise,  in  order  not  to  increase  her 
confusion.  After  kissing  my  old  friends,  her  chil- 
dren, I  went  off  to  the  theatre  that  she  named  in 
search  of  their  elegant  papa. 

When  I  entered,  the  play  had  already  begun.  I 
took  up  a  position  in  a  corner  behind  the  stalls  and 
scrutinized  the  theatre.  I  was  not  long  in  seeing 
him  in  his  place  in  a  proscenium  box.  These 
boxes  in  the  provinces,  as  in  the  capital,  are  the 
sacred  spots,  whence  the  superior  beings  of  each 
locality  radiate  their  splendors.  Accustomed  to 
lay  down  the  law  for  the  multitude,  the  gilded 
youths  who  meet  there,  converse,  argue,  smoke,  and 
yawn,  firmly  convinced  that  they  have  no  duties  to 
fulfil  towards  the  masses,  those  who  listen  placidly 
from  the  stalls.  They  dwell  separate  like  the  gods 
of  Olympus,  in  conscious  enjoyment  of  their  per- 
fections and  their  power,  grinning  at  the  actors, 
tossing  compliments  to  the  actresses,  and  from 
time  to  time  talking  in  loud  voices  with  their  kind 
in  the  opposite  boxes,  over  the  heads  of  the  rabble 
of  the  unfashionable. 

248 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

Sabas  belonged  to  the  ruling  caste,  although  his 
face  showed  none  of  the  marks  that  characterize  it, 
neither  the  flabby  flesh,  the  pallid  skin,  nor  the 
loose  mouth,  signs  of  the  life  of  self-indulgence. 

His  dark,  sunburned  face,  peeled  in  places,  of- 
fered rather  an  extremely  industrious  aspect.  It 
would  not  have  been  strange  if  he  had  arrived  that 
same  night  from  Madagascar  or  Java,  after  enrich- 
ing himself  in  a  caoutchouc  expedition.  This  was 
doubtless  the  opinion  of  the  contralto  of  the  com- 
pany (much  richer  in  avoirdupois  than  in  voice),  to 
judge  by  the  timid  admiration  and  the  blushes 
wherewith  she  received  his  ardent  compliments 
every  time  that  the  exigencies  of  the  piece  obliged 
her  to  go  near  his  box.  I  sat  down  in  one  of  the 
fiutacas  and  waited  for  the  fall  of  the  curtain.  I 
confess  that  I  was  less  interested  in  what  was  going 
on  on  the  stage  than  in  the  play  that  was  revealed 
between  the  box  and  the  footlights.  Sabas,  lean- 
ing his  chin  in  his  hand  with  a  purely  Oriental 
languor,  fixed  his  gaze  of  serpent-like  fascination 
upon  the  contralto.  She,  overcome  with  an  irre- 
sistible terror,  made  efforts  to  flee  from  that  glance 
and  escape.  In  vain.  In  spite  of  herself,  even  in 
the  most  important  scenes  and  against  all  the  de- 
mands of  the  play,  she  would  break  abruptly  away 
from  the  tenor  in  a  love  duet  and  turn  towards 
that  tropical  and  fascinating  man  of  the  quivering 
nostrils.  She  listened  with  eagerness  to  his  voice 
249 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

vibrating  like  a  cry  in  the  desert,  hoping  ever  that 
he  would  end  by  offering  her  fifty  elephants,  a 
necklace  of  pearls,  and  the  heads  of  three  rajahs, 
his  enemies. 

When  the  act  was  ended  I  went  without  delay  to 
the  box.  Sabas  received  me  with  the  grave  indif- 
ference which,  in  all  perfectly  cultivated  countries, 
expresses  elegance.  I  explained  my  wishes  at  once. 
He  accepted  them  benignly;  disdaining  his  con- 
quest, secure  like  all  heroes  of  arriving  always  in 
time  to  conquer,  he  took  his  hat  and  we  left  the 
theatre.  We  walked  for  some  time  in  silence.  I 
felt  my  heart  oppressed  with  sadness  wherein  I  per- 
ceived with  alarm  a  certain  anticipation  of  some- 
thing pleasant.  This  something  could  be  nothing 
else  than  the  presence  of  Cristina.  Yes,  I  recog- 
nized it  with  shame;  yet  in  that  sad  hour  it  ab- 
sorbed me  more  than  anything  else  in  the  world. 

Sabas  stopped  after  a  time,  took  his  pipe  from  his 
mouth,  and,  looking  at  me  attentively  some  mo- 
ments, remarked  solemnly: 

"  You  see  how  it  is,  friend  Ribot.  The  madness 
of  my  brother-in-law  has  carried  him  to  the  extreme 
that  I  have  prophesied  so  many  times.'* 

"  Poor  Emilio!  "  I  exclaimed. 

"Yes,  poor  indeed.  At  present  he  hasn't  a 
peseta,  nor  anybody  who  will  lend  him  one." 

"  The  worst  of  all  is,  according  to  what  has  been 
told  me,  his  illness  is  very  serious." 
250 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

He  found  nothing  to  answer  to  this.  After  a 
while  he  again  took  out  his  pipe  and  paused. 

"Does  it  seem  to  you,  friend  Kibot,"  he  ex- 
claimed in  indignant  accents,  "  as  if  a  man  with  a 
family  has  the  right  to  throw  away  his  capital  ac- 
cording to  his  own  caprices  and  reduce  that  family 
to  destitution?" 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  without  knowing  what 
to  answer,  suspecting  that  Sabas  included  himself 
among  the  most  important  members  of  that  suffer- 
ing family. 

He  put  his  pipe  back  between  his  teeth,  and  hav- 
ing, doubtless,  thus  got  himself  in  connection  with 
his  electric  current,  contrived  to  move  onward.  He 
was  not  long  in  interrupting  it,  by  taking  out  the 
pipe  again,  spitting,  and  going  on  talking. 

"  I  understand  perfectly  how  a  bachelor  can 
dispose  of  his  means  as  he  pleases;  how,  getting  up 
some  morning  out  of  humor,  he  could  go  out  on 
the  balcony  and  toss  over  everything  that  he  owns. 
At  most  there  is  only  himself  to  pay  for  the  con- 
sequences of  his  whims.  But  when  a  man  who  is 
not  alone  in  the  world,  who  has  assumed  sacred 
obligations  to  fulfil,  throws  himself  into  senseless 
speculations  and  wastes  an  important  property,  his 
conduct  seems  to  me  not  merely  imprudent,  but 
also  immoral." 

I  did  not  doubt  that  Sabas  included  among  these 
sacred  obligations  that  of  providing  him  with 
251 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

means  to  submit  to  his  own  fascinations  all  the 
sopranos  and  contraltos  who  presented  themselves 
on  the  Valencian  horizon;  and  not  to  say  anything 
impertinent,  I  determined  to  hold  my  peace.  In 
this  manner,  using  his  pipe  like  a  manipulator  of  an 
electric  machine  to  retard  or  hasten  his  fancy,  and 
slopping  over  in  a  torrent  of  critical  wisdom,  we 
reached  at  last  the  house  where  his  brother-in-law 
lived.  It  was  not  so  sumptuous  as  that  in  the  Calle 
del  Mar,  but  new  and  elegant.  We  mounted  to  the 
apartment  on  the  second  floor,  which  was  the  one 
that  Marti  occupied,  and  rang.  Regina,  the  old 
doncella,  came  out  to  open  for  us,  and  on  seeing  me 
could  not  refrain  from  a  cry  of  surprise. 

"Oh,  Don  Julian!" 

"  Silence! "  I  exclaimed,  putting  my  finger  on 
my  lips. 

Next,  I  seized  upon  my  god-daughter,  taking  her 
in  my  arms  and  silently  covering  the  child  with 
warm  and  tender  kisses.  But  she  did  not  receive 
them  in  the  silence  that  was  to  be  desired.  Fright- 
ened by  my  beard,  and  perhaps  pricked  by  it,  she 
began  at  once  crying  to  heaven. 

I  heard  the  voice  of  Cristina. 

"  Who  is  there?  " 

And  she  appeared  from  the  end  of  the  corridor. 
On  seeing  me,  she  paused  for  an  instant,  then  im- 
mediately came  on  to  me,  holding  out  both  hands 
with  an  affectionate  gesture. 
252 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Oh,  Captain!  My  poor  Emilio  is  dying!  " 
I  saw  her  eyes  cloud  with  tears.  I  pressed  those 
beautiful  hands  that  I  held,  and  murmured  some 
words  of  hope.  Perhaps  her  fears  were  exagger- 
ated. Emilio  had  always  enjoyed  good  health;  but 
this  sort  of  temperament  bore  disease  for  many 
years.  I  asked  if  it  were  possible  to  see  him  at 
that  hour,  and,  having  been  answered  affirmatively, 
made  ready  to  go  in.  Cristina  would  not  let  me 
enter  until  she  had  first  prepared  him.  He  was 
very  nervous,  and  a  sudden  emotion  might  injure 
him.  While  she  was  gone  to  perform  this  gentle 
duty,  Sabas  improved  the  opportunity  to  give  me 
his  hand,  dark  as  an  Asiatic  colonial's,  in  good-by 
and  departed  with  his  energetic  characteristic  im- 
portance. Through  the  door  that  still  stood  open 
I  saw  him  go  down  the  stairs  carrying  in  his  ardent 
glance  desolation  and  tears  for  the  contralto. 

"  Come  in,  come  in  this  minute!  "  It  was  the 
voice  of  Emilio,  a  little  hoarse,  but  as  vigorous  as 
ever.  I  hastened  towards  the  place  whence  came 
the  sound,  and  entered  a  room  where  the  luxury 
of  the  furniture  was  in  contrast  with  the  modesty 
of  the  things  in  the  rest  of  the  place.  He  was  re- 
clining in  an  arm-chair  with  two  cushions  at  his 
back,  wearing  an  elegant  dressing-gown.  The  light 
of  a  candle  fell  on  his  face,  where  I  could  see  very 
clearly  the  fatal  signs  of  tuberculosis.  But  that 
face  was  beautiful,  more  beautiful  and  more  inter- 
253 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

esting  than  any  I  had  ever  seen.  The  hair  of  head 
and  beard  was  longer;  this  with  the  whiteness  of 
the  skin  and  the  great,  black,  melancholy  eyes  made 
him  look  like  the  Nazarene.  Those  eyes  shone  at 
sight  of  me  with  a  frank  and  cordial  expression. 
He  took  my  hand  and,  pressing  it  affectionately 
between  his  own,  said  several  times  in  a  low  voice: 

"  Captain!  Captain!  Captain!  How  good  you 
are! " 

I  found  myself  too  much  moved  to  speak. 

"  How  do  you  find  me  ?  In  a  very  bad  way, 
don't  you?"  he  asked  at  last,  after  a  long  silence. 

"  I  hope  I  shall  see  you  better  soon,"  I  answered, 
making  an  effort  to  control  myself  and  hide  the 
emotion  that  mastered  me. 

At  the  same  time  I  took  the  candle,  and  bringing 
it  nearer  his  face,  pretended  to  examine  it  with 
close  attention. 

"  Do  you  know  what  ails  you?  "  I  asked.  "  It's 
morrina  !  " 

"What  is  that?"  he  asked,  opening  his  eyes 
wide. 

"  It  is  an  illness  that  attacks  the  Galicians  when 
they  lose  an  amount  exceeding  fifty  centimes." 

I  saw  a  smile  steal  over  his  lips  and,  glancing 
gayly  at  his  wife,  he  exclaimed: 

"  The  same  as  ever!  He  doesn't  seem  to  me  a 
bit  changed — no!  " 

I  understood  that  the  kindest  thing  I  could  do 
254 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

at  that  moment  was  to  go  on  joking.  I  plucked 
up  my  courage  and  unlocked  my  stock  of  buffoon- 
eries, although  they  can't  be  called  very  witty. 
Soon  I  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him  laugh 
heartily.  His  face  brightened,  his  eyes  shone;  in  a 
few  minutes  we  were  chatting  together  with  the 
same  gayety  as  if  he  were  perfectly  well  and  had 
not  lost  a  centimo  of  his  capital. 

Cristina  watched  us  with  a  melancholy  smile. 
She  was  happy  in  seeing  her  husband  so  cheerful, 
although  she  knew  that  this  could  not  last  long. 

And,  indeed,  a  violent  attack  of  coughing  soon 
came  to  interrupt  most  sadly  our  chat.  He  be- 
came livid  and  half-stifled,  holding  his  head  be- 
tween his  hands. 

"  The  chill  of  the  night  air  is  bad  for  you.  It 
is  the  chill  of  night  that  brought  it  on,  Emilio," 
said  Cristina.  "  It  is  time  for  you  to  go  to  rest." 

He  lifted  his  hand,  making  lively  signs  of  nega- 
tion with  it.  When  the  attack  subsided,  and  he 
could  speak,  he  exclaimed: 

"No,  don't  take  him  away  from  me!  I  feel 
much  better.  The  captain  is  a  mouthful  of  oxy- 
gen. He  brings  me  the  good  sea  air." 

I  stayed  half  an  hour  longer,  to  please  him.  At 
last  I  went,  not  before  promising  to  return  early 
the  next  day.  I  did  not  wish  to  go  in  that  night 
to  pay  my  respects  to  Dona  Amparo.  I  had  already 
had  notice  from  Sabas  that  she  had  taken  up  a 
255 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

fashion  lately  of  fainting  away  at  sight  of  any 
friend  whatsoever.  As  the  hour  seemed  to  me  un- 
seasonable for  such  an  organic  phenomenon,  I 
deferred  it  until  another  more  suitable. 

Cristina  came  with  me  to  the  door. 

"How  do  you  find  him?"  she  asked,  fixing  an 
anxious  look  upon  me. 

"  I  don't  find  him  well.  But  while  there  is  life, 
who  knows?  who  knows?  " 

Nobody  could  help  knowing.  She  also  knew;  but 
the  unhappy  lady  sought  some  way  to  hide  the 
truth  from  herself. 

I  went  away  with  my  head  in  a  whirl,  and  my 
heart  torn  and  rent.  The  force  I  had  used  to  ap- 
pear cheerful  upset  my  nerves,  and  I  could  not 
sleep.  Poor  Marti!  Never  had  he  seemed  to  me 
more  hearty,  more  innocent,  more  worthy  to  be 
beloved.  Not  one  word,  not  the  most  insignificant 
allusion  to  the  treacherous  actions  of  his  friend 
Castell,  nor  the  inhuman  manner  in  which  he  had 
ruined  him.  And  in  the  days  following  it  was  the 
same.  His  soul  not  only  knew  how  to  avoid  filth 
like  the  feet  of  ladies,  but  did  not  believe  in  it. 

I  wrote  to  our  shipping  house  to  say  that,  for 
reasons  of  health,  I  wished  to  stay  on  land  during 
the  next  voyage,  and  constituted  myself  companion 
and  nurse  to  my  unfortunate  friend.  I  was  seldom 
away  from  him.  When  T  loft  him  T  saw  a  sadness 
in  his  eyes  so  sincere  that  T  wished  to  stay.  Every 
250 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

day  he  lost  strength;  I  saw  that  he  grew  constantly 
weaker.  He  began  to  have  cruel  stiflings  that 
threatened  his  life.  "While  they  lasted  I  fanned 
him,  and  Cristina  bathed  his  temples.  But  when 
he  came  out  of  these  attacks  like  a  man  who  has 
succeeded  in  escaping  an  imminent  peril  and  un- 
expectedly finds  himself  safe  and  sound,  he  would 
be  talkative  and  gay,  assuring  us  that  very  soon  he 
would  be  able  to  go  out  into  the  streets  and  take 
up  his  business  again. 

His  business!  Neither  illness  nor  ruin  had  been 
able  to  uproot  his  passion  for  projects  and  his  lik- 
ing for  great  industrial  enterprises. 

"  If  you  could  guess,  Captain,  the  idea  which  I 
have  had  for  days  in  my  head!  "  he  said  to  me  once, 
looking  at  me  with  his  candid  eyes  and  pushing 
back  his  hair.  "  A  grand  project,  and  sensible, 
too,  at  the  same  time.  At  fifteen  kilometres  from 
Valencia  there  is  a  river  that  can  be  made  to  pro- 
duce a  waterfall  of  a  thousand  horse-power.  Sup- 
pose that  two  hundred  are  lost  in  harnessing  it, 
there  would  still  be  eight  hundred,  which,  well 
distributed,  would  move  almost  all  the  industries  of 
the  city  and  give  light  to  it  all.  Manufacturers 
and  the  city  would  save  an  enormous  amount,  and 
to  become  the  owner  of  that  waterfall  would  be  a 
brilliant  stroke  of  business.  Because,  as  you  can 
see " 

Here  he  took  a  paper,  drew  out  a  pencil,  and  set 
17  257 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

himself  to  scheming  with  figures  with  as  much  en- 
thusiasm as  if  the  operatives  were  already  installing 
the  great  electric  machine  that  was  to  distribute 
power  to  all  the  factories  of  Valencia,  with  so  many 
horse-power  and  such  and  such  qualities  as  if  he 
had  the  magazine  in  the  house. 

Cristina  and  I  exchanged  a  look  over  his  head, 
and  we  knew  not  what  to  say.  Formerly  this  pas- 
sion had  been  his  peril.  Now  it  seemed  to  console 
him.  So,  not  to  go  against  him,  we  followed  his 
fancy,  and  praised  his  project  to  the  skies.  This 
made  him  so  happy  that  his  cheeks  burned  and  his 
glassy  eyes  shone  with  pleasure.  Cristina  could 
not  control  her  emotion,  and  hastily  left  the  room. 
I  went  on  admiring  the  project  warmly,  so  that  he 
would  not  notice  her  going,  and  went  so  far  as  to 
promise  to  invest  my  small  capital  in  the  enter- 
prise. With  this  his  gayety  came  to  an  end. 
Quickly  changing  his  expression,  he  pressed  my 
hand,  and,  looking  at  me  sorrowfully,  exclaimed: 

"  No,  Ribot,  no!  Although  the  affair  is  all  plain 
enough,  there  might  be  some  bad  luck.  I  will 
not  risk  your  capital!  " 

"  There  would  not  be  any  risk,"  I  replied;  "  I 
would  gladly  put  it  in,  because  it  seems  to  me  that 
this  is  a  sure  thing." 

"  Absolutely  sure! "  he  said,  with  the  accent  of 
unquenchable  conviction,  which  at  another  time 
would  have  made  me  smile.  "But  I  won't  give 
258 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

you  any  shares  in  it  until  it  is  under  way  and  has 
begun  to  pay  dividends." 

Poor  Marti!  He  was  going  fast.  His  cheeks 
fell  in,  the  circles  under  his  eyes  grew  deeper;  he 
passed  his  nights  in  coughing  and  his  days  in  tor- 
ment between  pain  and  choking. 

The  fainting  fits  of  Dona  Amparo  grew  con- 
stantly more  frequent  and  prolonged.  Her  sensi- 
bility became  so  over-excited  by  this,  that  the 
fluttering  of  a  butterfly  was  enough  to  throw  her 
into  a  convulsion,  from  which  she  could  only  re- 
cover by  covering  everybody's  face,  as  of  old,  with 
tears  and  kisses.  As  for  me,  being  the  friend  most 
often  at  hand,  I  received  the  greater  part  of  these 
inundations. 

Sabas  came  every  day  at  eleven  o'clock,  before 
going  for  his  usual  promenade  to  the  cafe  where 
he  took  his  vermouth.  If  the  doctor  had  said  that 
the  invalid  had  less  fever  (and  he  often  said  it  to 
encourage  him),  this  gave  our  dandy  so  much  satis- 
faction that  he  could  not  do  less  than  celebrate  by 
going  to  breakfast  at  the  cafe,  and  then  go  off  on  an 
excursion  with  friends  of  both  sexes. 

"We  saw  the  end  approaching.  As  the  fatal  hour 
drew  near,  Emilio  showed  himself  less  and  less 
apprehensive,  occupying  himself  constantly  with 
making  calculations  and  planning  out  new  schemes. 
Even  in  the  middle  of  the  night  he  would  beg  for 
paper,  and  scratch  down  figures. 
259 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

"  Next  week  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to  be  out," 
he  said  to  me  one  morning.  "  There  is  nothing 
ailing  me  now.  The  pain  in  the  kidneys  is  all 
gone;  my  tongue  is  almost  clean.  If  this  cough 
that  keeps  me  awake  would  only  leave  me,  I  should 
be  quite  well.  To-day  I  feel  just  like  walking,  like 
taking  a  good  long  walk." 

And  he  proved  his  words  by  getting  up  from  his 
chair  and  taking  several  steps. 

"  I  am  going  to  the  dining-room,"  he  said,  open- 
ing the  door;  "  see  what  a  surprise  I  am  going  to 
give  Cristina." 

And  he  walked  down  the  passage.  I  stood  look- 
ing at  him  from  the  threshold  of  his  room.  When 
he  had  got  about  half-way,  the  poor  fellow  toppled, 
and  before  I  could  get  to  him,  fell  his  length  upon 
the  floor.  Several  years  have  passed  since  then, 
and  yet  they  have  not  been  able  to  obscure  in  my 
soul  the  shamed  and  melancholy  smile  he  gave  me 
as  I  came  to  him. 

"  That's  bad,  Captain!  " 

I  lifted  him  and  carried  him  in  my  arms  back 
to  his  chair.  He  weighed  no  more  than  a  child. 
Cristina,  as  well  as  I,  reproved  his  imprudence,  but 
we  readily  convinced  him  that  his  weakness  came 
from  lack  of  nourishment.  If  he  would  eat  more  his 
strength  would  increase  rapidly, and  we  should  soon 
see  him  able  to  walk  out  in  the  garden  as  of  old. 

Although  Cristina  knew  the  seriousness  of  his 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

condition,  and  made  herself  no  illusions  regarding 
the  outcome,  I  observed  in  her  a  sort  of  ignorance 
or  disregard  which,  at  such  a  time,  could  not  fail 
to  make  me  anxious.  She  thought  certainly  that 
his  illness  was  unto  death,  but  by  every  word  that 
came  from  her  mouth  I  perceived  that  she  judged 
the  end  to  be  very  far  off.  I  could  see  that  it  was 
very  near.  And  yet  it  was  nearer  than  even  I 
supposed.  On  the  day  following  his  fall  in  the 
passage,  I  went  to  see  him  between  ten  and  eleven 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Contrary  to  his  custom, 
he  had  not  dressed.  He  said  he  found  himself  a 
little  fatigued  from  coughing.  I  cheered  him  up 
by  calling  him  only  lazy,  and  sat  down  beside  him. 
I  found  him  indeed  very  feeble,  and  looking  very 
much  discouraged.  In  spite  of  this  he  was  chatty 
and  cheerful  as  always.  At  last  he  decided  to  get 
up,  but  before  doing  so  we  decided  that  he  should 
take  a  little  cup  of  broth  to  give  him  strength. 
Cristina  went  out  to  prepare  it.  A  few  moments 
after,  the  sick  man  had  an  attack  of  coughing  and 
choking  that  nearly  overcame  him.  I  did  not 
call  Cristina,  not  wishing  to  alarm  her,  and  began 
to  fan  him,  as  usual,  to  give  him  air,  hoping  that 
he  would  quickly  recover.  Yet,  without  knowing 
why,  I  felt  more  disturbed  than  usual.  My  heart 
beat  violently,  seeing  that  pallid  face,  with  its 
closed  eyes  and  the  opened  mouth  struggling  for 
breath.  As  the  seconds  went  by,  my  anxiety  in- 
261 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

creased  in  like  measure,  and  I  reached  my  hand 
towards  the  bell-button.  But  at  that  moment 
Marti  opened  his  eyes  and  smiled  sweetly.  I  calmed 
myself  and  said: 

"  Now  you  are  better!    It  has  passed." 

"  Open  the  shutters.  I  can't  see  well/'  he  an- 
swered me.  These  words  brought  back  my  alarm. 
The  shutters  were  open.  Yet  I  made  a  movement 
to  go,  to  please  him;  but  as  I  tried  to  leave  him,  he 
seized  one  of  my  hands. 

"  Ribot,  Ribot! "  he  cried,  gazing  at  me  with 
sightless  eyes.  "  Do  not  leave  me!  I  am  dying, 
do  not  leave  me!  " 

He  raised  up,  convulsively  grasping  my  hand.  His 
expression  changed  quickly,  his  eyes  glazed.  His 
head  rolled  about  as  if  it  would  be  disjointed,  then 
he  fell  heavily  backward.  Horror  and  stupefaction 
kept  me  a  moment  stunned,  gazing  at  the  floor. 
But  recovering  myself,  I  took  his  head  between  my 
hands  and  held  it  against  my  breast,  crying: 

"  Marti!  my  friend,  my  brother!  Canst  thou 
hear?  In  this  world  of  treachery  there  are  few 
men  left  like  thee!  " 

And  I  kissed  that  brow  where  had  never  fallen 
the  shadow  of  a  sinful  thought. 

At  that  moment  a  hand  touched  my  shoulder.     I 
turned  as  if  it  had  stabbed  me  and  saw  her  eyes 
straining  wide  with  terror  and  her  trembling  form 
that  fell  prone  upon  the  ground. 
262 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IT  is  impossible  to  describe  what  took  place  in 
that  house  upon  the  death  of  Emilio.  Every- 
body adored  him;  to  all  he  was  like  a  loving  father, 
ready  to  sacrifice  his  own  wishes  for  those  of  others. 
The  grief  and  woe  of  Cristina  were  so  great  that 
we  feared  for  her  life.  After  a  few  days,  however, 
it  was  necessary  to  think  about  business  matters. 
Those  of  Marti  were  so'  much  entangled  that  his 
unfortunate  family  was  likely  to  become  quite  des- 
titute. The  only  one  to  call  upon  in  regard  to  his 
affairs,  as  the  nearest  relation,  was  Sabas;  but  this 
profound  person,  for  whom  the  human  heart  had 
no  hidden  corners,  despised  the  prosaic  details  of 
existence.  He  lived  like  a  god  in  a  state  of  per- 
petual joy,  removed  from  the  toils  and  anxieties 
that  afflict  mankind.  It  was  necessary  that  I  grasp 
the  reins.  I  begged  permission  to  do  this,  and  took 
hold  of  the  work  with  little  knowledge,  but  with 
illimitable  interest  and  good  will.  At  the  end  of 
six  months  of  hard  work,  struggling  with  creditors, 
lawyers,  and  clerks,  I  succeeded  in  disentangling 
the  snarl.  The  debts  were  all  paid  and  a  small 
263 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

income  was  rescued  for  Cristina,  sufficient  to  enable 
her  to  live  comfortably  but  without  any  luxuries. 
I  breathed  freely  again,  and  enjoyed  my  success  as 
much  as  if  I  had  brought  through  successfully  some 
gigantic  undertaking. 

The  gratitude  of  Cristina  was  my  sweetest  re- 
ward. In  a  grave  and  reserved  way,  as  she  did  all 
things,  she  made  me  understand  it  constantly. 
This  gratitude,  joined  to  the  innocent  caresses  of 
my  god-daughter,  who  now  began  to  prattle,  call- 
ing me  "  Uncle  Kibot,"  as  if  I  were  of  her  own 
blood,  fully  repaid  me  for  all  my  endeavors.  All 
that  troubled  me  was  to  note  with  what  scrupulous 
care  Cristina  reduced  the  expenses  of  her  house, 
and  the  straits  she  endured.  I  told  her  this  care 
was  exaggerated — her  income  would  permit  her  a 
little  more  leeway,  but  I  did  not  succeed  in  making 
her  see  it.  After  a  while  I  came  to  understand  that 
her  economy  did  not  cause  her  the  slightest  pain. 
I  thought  she  rather  enjoyed  it,  and  by  this  means 
was  saving  up  to  add  to  the  small  inheritance  of 
her  little  daughter.  Later  I  found  out,  not  with- 
out indignation,  that  these  savings  served  to  sup- 
port the  household  of  her  elegant  brother.  He  had 
gone  on  applying  the  scalpel  to  all  of  our  actions. 
Persuaded  after  a  while  that  neither  the  kindness 
of  his  sister  nor  my  business  ability  would  hence- 
forth provide  him  with  means  sufficient  to  make 
the  conquest  of  even  one  single  chorus  girl,  he 
264 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

decided  at  last  to  go  to  work,  watching  the  bank  in 
a  gambling  club. 

None  of  her  ancient  splendors  seemed  to  be 
missed  by  Cristina,  as  far  as  I  could  ascertain, 
neither  handsomely  furnished  rooms,  nor  carriages, 
nor  servants.  The  property  at  Cabanal  alone  ex- 
cited in  her  a  melancholy  regret.  Only  when  we 
mentioned  that  did  she  become  sad  and  pensive. 
This  was  very  natural.  Her  passion  for  the  coun- 
try, for  a  free  and  peaceful  life  was  strengthened 
now  by  the  gentle  memories  that  that  estate  kept 
for  her  heart.  There  had  fleeted  the  happiest  hours 
of  her  life..  After  I  had  observed  this  on  a  number 
of  occasions,  the  thought  was  born  in  my  brain  to 
try  to  buy  the  place.  I  quickly  thought  over  the 
state  of  my  property.  As  I  was  a  man  of  few 
wants,  I  could  part  with  a  third  of  what  I  had,  and 
there  would  still  be  enough  left  me  to  live  upon. 
As  soon  as  I  was  convinced  of  that,  every  hindrance 
got  on  my  nerves.  I  could  not  rest  until  I  had 
gone  to  Barcelona,  where  lived  the  banker  to  whom 
the  estate  had  been  assigned,  and  had  had  a  talk 
with  him.  Cabanal  had  gone  at  auction  for  eigh- 
teen thousand  duros.  I  soon  saw  that  its  present 
owner  would  like  to  get  it  off  his  hands  for  the 
same  money,  then  his  profits  would  not  all  be  eaten 
up  in  the  expense  of  keeping  up  the  place  as  it  had 
formerly  been.  At  last,  after  several  conferences 
and  enough  bartering,  we  agreed  upon  the  contract 
265 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

and  the  deeds  were  passed,  I  making  him  promise 
to  keep  the  transaction  a  secret.  Then  I  made  a 
deed  of  gift  to  my  god-daughter  of  the  property. 
With  both  documents  in  my  pocket  and  with  my 
heart  light  with  joy,  I  returned  to  Valencia.  Be- 
fore taking  possession  of  the  country  house  it  was 
necessary  to  buy,  and  instal  there,  furniture  as 
nearly  as  possible  like  that  which  the  house  had  had 
before.  It  cost  me  some  labor,  but  I  performed  it 
with  inexplicable  enjoyment.  It  is  needless  to  say 
that  where  I  laid  myself  out  to  have  everything  per- 
fect was  in  Cristina's  own  room — her  tocador.  By 
means  of  untiring  search  I  was  able  to  find  some  of 
the  same  pieces  of  furniture  that  had  been  there 
before,  and  I  bought  them;  others  I  ordered  copied, 
and  they  turned  out  very  like.  As  soon  as  all  was 
ready  I  took  possession  of  the  place,  cautioning  all 
persons  who  had  served  me,  and  the  gardener,  too, 
not  to  let  the  matter  get  noised  abroad  before  it  was 
time  to  open  the  house. 

The  birthday  of  my  god-daughter  arrived.  Sev- 
eral days  before,  I  had  all  the  furniture  put  in 
place  in  the  country  house,  and  I  took  pains  to  see 
that  all  was  placed  as  nearly  as  possible  as  it  had 
been  formerly.  I  knew  so  well  every  arrangement 
of  that  house  that  it  was  not  difficult  for  me  to 
make  it  look  very  homelike.  Cristina's  room  took 
a  good  deal  of  time,  for  I  aspired  to  have  it  lack 
not  one  detail.  The  furniture,  the  curtains,  the 
266 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

articles  on  the  dressing-table,  even  the  coverlet  on 
the  bed,  had  been  restored  or  copied  with  utmost 
exactness.  On  the  birthday  I  carried  my  god- 
daughter a  fine  toy  in  the  morning,  promising  her 
another  for  the  afternoon.  And  for  the  afternoon 
I  invited  her,  with  her  mamma  and  Dona  Amparo, 
to  take  an  excursion  into  the  country,  to  picnic  in 
some  secluded  spot,  to  celebrate  that  memorable 
date.  The  coachman,  previously  instructed  by  me, 
drove  us  about  for  a  time,  then  brought  up  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Cabanal.  There  I  made  him  stop 
and  said: 

"  Senoras,  I  don't  know  whether  I  have  com- 
mitted an  indiscretion.  If  I  have,  I  beg  your  par- 
don beforehand.  Knowing  Cristina's  passion  for 
Cabanal,  I  have  had  our  picnic  prepared  there.  I 
am  a  friend  of  Puig,  who  bought  it,  and  when  I 
was  in  Barcelona  he  gave  me  permission  to  go  into 
the  house,  and  to  take  as  many  people  with  me  as 
I  liked.  I  repeat,  you  must  forgive  what  I  have 
done,  if  you  do  not  approve  of  it." 

Dona  Amparo  declared  it  very  nice,  and  was 
joyful  to  the  soul  at  visiting  once  more  the  place 
that  had  always  pleased  her.  But  Cristina's  face 
was  something  to  behold.  She  had  never  let  me 
see  it  so  forbidding.  She  controlled  herself,  how- 
ever, in  silence;  and  I,  taking  no  notice  of  her  an- 
noyance, ordered  the  coachman  to  go  on.  The 
gardener  and  his  men  played  the  drama  of  receiv- 
267 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

ing  us  as  guests,  and  conducted  us  to  a  glorieta 
where  I  had  had  the  table  spread.  Before  our 
picnic,  I  invited  them  to  take  a  little  walk,  but 
Cristina  refused  emphatically,  affirming  that  she 
had  hurt  her  foot.  As  Dona  Amparo  did  not  care 
to  leave  her  alone  I  went  with  my  god-daughter; 
the  little  one  and  I  amused  ourselves  by  running 
and  frolicking  about  in  those  shady  avenues.  When 
we  returned  I  observed  that  Cristina's  eyes  were 
red  and  that  her  mamma  was  drooping  with  evi- 
dent intentions  of  popping  off. 

But  I  did  not  care  to  go  into  any  of  that.  Joyful 
and  merry  as  I  had  never  been,  I  began  to  open  the 
baskets  and  distribute  their  contents,  aided  by  the 
little  girl  and  the  man  who  had  brought  them  from 
the  hotel.  By  a  great  effort,  and  to  conceal  her 
suffering,  Cristina  took  a  few,  but  very  small, 
mouthfuls.  Dona  Amparo,  however,  ate  heartily. 
But  Julianita,  the  little  one,  and  I  knew  how  to  do 
our  duty.  To  finish  off,  I  opened  a  bottle  of  cham- 
pagne. Then,  standing  up  and  taking  my  god- 
daughter on  one  arm,  I  swung  the  glass  high  with 
the  other,  exclaiming: 

"  To  the  health  of  Julianita!  To  the  health  of 
my  little  girl!" 

I  drained  the  glass,  then  gave  the  baby  the  drops 
in  the  bottom. 

"  I  promised  thee  a  present  for  this  afternoon, 
and  thou  shalt  see  that  I  keep  my  promise.  Thy 
268 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

present  is  this  estate,  of  which  thou  hast  been  de- 
spoiled. I  bought  it  for  thee  some  days  ago.  Ke- 
ceive  it,  my  daughter,  with  this  tender  kiss  which  I 
place  upon  thy  cheek,  and  may  heaven  bless  thee 
with  many  and  happy  days!  " 

Cristina  rose  up  from  the  bench,  pale  and 
trembling. 

"  Captain  Eibot!  It  cannot  be! "  she  cried  in 
a  choking  voice. 

"  Here  is  the  deed  of  the  property,  and  here  is 
the  deed  of  gift,"  I  answered,  presenting  the  docu- 
ments. 

"  But  my  daughter  cannot  accept  such  an  enor- 
mous sacrifice! " 

"I  have  few  necessities  and  no  near  relations. 
The  law  gives  me  the  right  to  choose  my  heir.  I 
have  already  chosen  her,"  I  added,  placing  my 
hand  on  the  curly  little  head  of  my  god-daughter. 

She  remained  quiet  with  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
ground.  At  last  she  went  out  of  the  glorieta,  and 
without  opening  her  lips  started  towards  the  house. 
I  followed  her  at  a  distance,  leaving  the  fainting 
form  of  Dona  Amparo  to  the  care  of  the  child  and 
the  servant.  I  observed  that  she  walked  faster 
and  faster.  When  she  reached  the  door  she  was 
almost  running.  She  paused  a  moment,  kissed  the 
wall,  and  entered. 

I  followed  her  as  she  went  about  the  rooms;  I 
heard  her  exclamations  of  delight,  and  even  saw  her 
269 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

go  into  her  own  room.  At  sight  of  that,  a  cry 
escaped  her,  and  she  fell  sobbing  upon  the  white- 
wood  bed. 

I  went  over  to  her  and  said: 

"  This  room  holds  yet  within  its  walls  the  per- 
fume of  a  sacred  and  peaceful  life.  The  furniture 
had  been  scattered  through  the  city;  and  these 
pieces,  that  could  claim  nobody  as  one  master,  on 
finding  themselves  together  again  will  speak  to  you, 
Cristina,  in  the  sweet  and  mysterious  language  of 
their  souvenirs.  I  consider  myself  happy  in  hav- 
ing restored  them,  and  happier  yet  in  having 
worked  for  so  many  days  to  arrive  at  this  moment." 

She  rose  from  the  bed,  and,  holding  out  her 
hand,  said  to  me  in  a  trembling  voice: 

"Thank  you,  Ribot,  many  thanks.  You  are 
indeed  a  faithful  friend  to  us.  God  will  reward 
you  for  all  the  good  you  have  done,  for  I  can  never 
repay  you." 

I  was  moved  to  the  depths  of  my  soul  by  those 
simple  words. 

"  Cristina,"  I  replied,  "  I  accept  the  title  that 
you  so  nobly  bestow  upon  me.  I  have  been  a  loyal 
friend  to  you  and  to  Emilio;  I  have  watched  over 
his  interests  and  his  honor  with  ceaseless  care.  But 
I  have  watched  over  my  thoughts  with  even  more 
diligence;  because  thoughts  are  restless  things,  and 
might,  against  my  will,  go  straight  away  and  annoy 
you.  I  have  nothing  to  reproach  myself  with.  I 
270 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

have  always  loved  you  as  I  love  you  now,  with  the 
respect  that  divine  beings  inspire.  But  in  spite  of 
all  my  efforts  to  stifle  it,  a  strong  desire  lifts  itself 
in  my  soul,  and  I  feel  that  I  shall  never  find  peace 
if  I  do  not  suffer  it  to  live,  or  at  least  need  not  kill 
it.  Forgive  me,  Cristina,  for  the  question  I  am 
going  to  ask.  But  may  I  not  hope  that  some  day 
you  will  call  me  by  another  name  than  friend?  " 

She  remained  grave  and  silent,  looking  down  at 
the  floor.  Then  she  sat  down  in  a  chair  near  the 
candle-stand,  leaned  her  elbow  on  the  little  table, 
and  her  head  in  her  hand,  and  there  she  sat  in  a 
thoughtful  attitude.  I  knelt  down  beside  her  and 
let  myself  hope. 

"  Get  up,  Ribot,"  she  said,  giving  me  a  sad  and 
affectionate  glance.  "It  causes  me  pain  and  al- 
most shame  to  see  at  my  feet  the  man  who  sweet- 
ened the  last  hours  of  my  husband,  who  has  sacri- 
ficed himself  for  me,  and  his  fortune  for  my  daugh- 
ter. My  heart  tells  me  that  this  man  should  not  be 
refused  my  very  life  if  he  asks  it.  But  do  you  not 
think,  Eibot,  that  there  is  something  between  us 
that  ought  to  stop  us,  something  that  would  over- 
shadow the  happiness  that  you  have  a  right  to? 
Remember  the  circumstances  when  we  first  knew 
each  other.  Examine  the  secret  impulses  that 
brought  you  to  this  place,  those  that  you  have  felt 
since,  your  struggles,  your  thoughts,  your  joys  and 
pains  during  these  three  years  and  a  half.  And 
271 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

tell  me  frankly  if  you  do  not  imagine  that  con- 
science would  not  whisper  to  us  that  we  had  not 
acted  with  perfect  delicacy.  I  believe  it  would; 
and  I  think  I  know  you  well  enough  to  know  that 
it  would  be  enough  to  disturb  the  serenity  of  your 
life.  This  is  what  I  hear  speaking  within  my 
secret  heart.  While  it  is  there,  do  you  not  think 
that  if  we  were  united  there  might  rise  in  our 
world  an  infamous  suspicion  that  would  wound, 
even  in  his  grave,  our  cherished  one?  " 

I  understood  the  truth  of  these  words  and  my 
heart  sank.  The  tears  rushed  to  my  eyes.  I  hid 
my  face  in  my  hands  to  conceal  them. 

"  What?  Do  you  weep,  Ribot?  "  she  exclaimed, 
leaning  her  head  upon  mine.  "  No,  in  God's  name! 
no,  do  not  weep,  my  friend!  I  have  no  right  to 
cause  you  the  slightest  pain.  I  will  do  as  you 
wish." 

I  shook  my  head  and  answered: 

"  Let  me  weep  for  a  moment.     It  will  pass." 

My  tears  fell  abundantly.  When  I  lifted  my 
head  I  saw  that  they  were  also  streaming  down  her 
cheeks.  I  stood  up  and,  drawing  out  my  pocket- 
handkerchief,  said  smiling: 

"Do  you  see!  It's  over!  Sadness  and  I  were 
never  very  constant  friends." 

Then  she  took  my  hands  and,  pressing  them 
warmly,  looked  into  my  eyes,  exclaiming: 

"Yet,  truly,  I  would  not  hurt  you!  After  my 
272 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

husband,  no  man  has  ever  inspired  me  with  so 
deep  an  affection! " 

"  These  noble  words  not  only  give  me  strength 
to  live,"  I  answered,  "but  they  make  life  lovely 
to  me.  How  many  times,  leaning  on  the  bridge 
of  my  ship,  I  have  felt  happy  gazing  at  the  shining 
stars!  And  why  not  now,  when  I  can  see  these 
sweet  eyes,  so  frank  and  so  serene?  Let  me  see 
them  all  my  days,  and  I  promise  you  I  will  always 
live  in  joy  and  peace!  " 
18 


273 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

I  KEPT  my  promise.  Since  then  my  days  go 
on,  happy  and  full  of  peace.  I  fixed  my  resi- 
dence in  Alicante,  but  for  long  spaces  of  time,  in- 
deed during  almost  half  the  year,  I  am  in  Valencia. 
And  when  I  am  there,  I  am  looked  upon  at  Cris- 
tina's  house  not  merely  as  a  friend,  but  as  a 
member  of  the  family.  Nobody  fails  to  show  de- 
light when  I  am  seen  arriving,  but  most  of  all  does 
my  coming  please  my  god-daughter,  an  enchanting 
little  girl  of  five  years,  with  eyes  as  luminous  as 
her  mother's.  As  soon  as  she  hears  my  step,  she 
comes  running  to  meet  me,  laughing  and  jumping, 
throws  herself  upon  my  neck,  covers  me  with  kisses, 
and  pulls  my  beard  in  a  way  to  bring  tears — of 
pleasure. 

I  can  hear  her  voice  on  the  stair  at  this  mo- 
ment calling: 

"Uncle  Ribot!  Uncle  Ribot!"  While  I  stay 
in  Valencia  she  comes  to  the  hotel  for  me  every 
morning  with  her  nurse.  We  go  out  together.  We 
walk  about  the  streets  and  in  the  Glorieta.  We  go 
into  the  confectioners'  shops  (Julianita  knows  all 
the  best  ones  that  are  to  be  found  in  the  Hacienda) 
274 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

and  buy  sweets.  We  go  to  the  flower-market  and 
buy  flowers.  And  when  luncheon  time  comes,  we 
go  to  the  house  loaded  with  parcels  and  sprays 
of  flowers.  The  mamma  comes  and  opens  the  door 
for  us.  Her  beautiful  eyes  shine  with  joy,  and 
always  glisten  with  gratitude. 

There  is  nothing  more  that  I  long  for.  Secure 
in  the  affection  of  these  beings  that  I  love,  and  in 
my  own  self-respect,  I  watch  calmly  the  fleeting  of 
the  hours.  Snow  has  begun  to  show  slowly  about 
my  temples,  but  it  does  not  touch  my  heart. 
Neither  envy  nor  boredom  enters  it.  And  if,  as  I 
have  heard  Castell  say  many  times,  life  has  no 
flavor,  I  am  persuaded  that  he  does  not  know  what 
it  can  give.  For  me  it  has  a  delicate,  exquisite 
savor.  I  am  an  artist  in  happiness.  This  thought 
increases  my  pleasures. 

And  when  inexorable  death  knocks  at  my  door 
I  shall  not  wait  for  him  to  call  twice.  With  firm 
step  and  tranquil  heart,  I  will  go  to  meet  him,  and 
giving  him  my  hand  say: 

"  I  have  done  my  duty,  and  I  have  lived  happily. 
Nobody  has  suffered  because  of  me.  Whether  I 
am  led  to  a  sweet  eternal  sleep,  or  to  a  new  incarna- 
tion of  this  impalpable  force  that  fills  me,  I  have  no 
fear.  Here  I  am!" 

But,  no!  it  is  not  death  that  will  in  that  moment 
knock  at  my  door.  It  is  life,  radiant,  immortal, 
divine!  From  my  opened  window  I  feel  it  and  see 
275 


The  Joy  of  Captain  Ribot 

it.  The  sun  rises  in  the  firmament  and  sheds  its 
rays  upon  the  garden.  The  flowers,  shining,  ex- 
hale their  perfume.  This  light  and  these  odors 
intoxicate  me.  Everything  is  riant,  stirring,  sing- 
ing, in  the  world  that  I  behold  from  my  balcony. 
Beautiful  is  life!  Her  fruitful  breath  meets  my 
own  softly.  What  joy  in  the  freshness  of  this 
springtime  morning!  The  birds  among  the  boughs 
sing  joyfully  with  melodious  voices  in  concert  with 
the  sunbeams. 

But  I  would  not  exchange  all  their  melodious 
voices  for  one  that  is  now  calling  me  impatiently 
from  the  stairway: 

"  Uncle  Ribot,  I  am  waiting  for  you!  " 
"  I  am  coming,  my  girlie;  I  am  coming." 


376 


Press  ofj.  J.  Little  &  Co. 
Astor  Place,  New  York 


277 


3  1158 01 fill"'"// 
w ' uo«  7084 


A    001  257  987    6 


